Atone With Me (on hiatus)
by popsie
Summary: After healing Pansy Parkinson & helping to settle the Slytherins into the Order, Hermione can't help but feel like something's still missing. Plagued with nightmares of the final battle & a physical change; the simplicity of her final year at Hogwarts, with new friends & outlook on life, is to be tested when Draco Malfoy returns from a year long Order mission looking for his mate
1. The arrival

The ruins of a fourth-floor corridor were all she could see. Broken shards of glass which had rained down over her lay at her feet and the small cuts they had inflicted were ignored. Small rivers of scarlet blood were staining her shirt, her skin and hair. The dust and dirt of the makeshift battlefield swirled in the shaft of moonlight flooding in from the broken window, illuminating the bleeding witch, but she made no effort to move.

Dull, heavy footfalls echoed off the stone walls as two men rounded the corner, catching sight of the girl who had her back to them. Her shoulders were slumped as she stared down at the crumpled body at her feet. The death eaters shared a grin, knowing they had stumbled unwittingly upon Potter's right-hand woman, a fierce fighter who had her back turned. Attempting to slow his breathing, Travers motioned to Yaxley and the two men, with the wands, outstretched split off, each to one side of the large corridors' perimeter, determined to destroy Harry Potter's infamous lifeline.

Hermione Granger's wild curls were matted with blood and rubble, blowing slightly in the breeze that was coming from the broken window to her right. The Black Lake was mirroring the full moon and starry sky, but all she could focus on was the battered body of a second year laying crumpled on the floor. The boy's brown eyes were glassy and unfixed and besides the wound on his neck, he was unharmed. His uniform was rumpled and his Ravenclaw tie had been ripped from his collar into tatty pieces. Hermione's sight was transfixed on the bloody bite wound and the boy's exposed trachea. She was glad he was dead, and the nausea she felt in the pit of her stomach was not from the gore but from the thought of what his future might have looked like had he survived.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and Hermione's attention was diverted from the child. The two men were less than five meters away, waiting to cast the worst spells in their arsenal but Hermione was quicker than the wizards. She turned on her heel and the men froze. There was a golden flash in her honey eyes and the dark wizards could do nothing. Wandless magic was something neither of them possessed the ability to complete, whereas their opponent was skilled in the advanced art. Still furious at the fate of the boy at her feet, Hermione's emotions were teetering on the edge and her magic was crackling like static electricity in the air around her, making her skin itch uncomfortably.

A savage look had taken over the Gryffindor and her wand was in her hand, the killing curse falling from her lips with a slight scream. The intense power of her magic combined with the significance of the battle caused her spell to manifest and grow, detonating in a cloud of white-hot energy. In hindsight, Hermione would be grateful that she had been found in a remote and practically empty part of the castle because her curse had exploded with such a force that she had been knocked back and wiped out the rest of the glass in the windows, and obliterating the two masked men.

Bolting upright in her small bed, Hermione Granger's chest was heaving as the remnants of her nightmare finally slipped away. Perspiration was making her thin nightdress cling to her clammy body and she groaned, screwing her eyes closed as she wrestled her way out of the thick quilt. Ginny Weasley was sleeping peacefully in the bed opposite, but Hermione could just make out the bottle of Dreamless Sleep potion on the nightstand through the moonlight.

The brunette had had the same recurring nightmare since the Dark Lord's demise three weeks previously. Hermione and Remus Lupin had spent three months researching the locations of the Horcruxes and with diaries and memories belonging to Dumbledore, Trelawny and the defected Snape, the pair had located them all in just months, much faster than anyone had been expecting. Hermione had been aided with information from multiple members of the Dark Side who had turned to the light, but one of her main sources came in the form of Pansy Parkinson.

However, before Pansy had defected, the Order's first Slytherins had been Daphne Greengrass and her sister Astoria who had been enrolled by McGonagall just over a year ago. Daphne had seen her mother murdered at the hand of her father and had pleaded with the Professor to join the order and to save her sister. The blonde sisters had been welcomed hesitantly but Hermione and Ginny had ignored the hostility between the girls and the rest of the Order and the four had roomed together on the top floor of Grimmauld Place.

Astoria had made a necessary trip to Diagon Alley alone six months before Pansy had turned up and had met a gruesome demise.

Mad-Eye Moody had investigated the death and deducted that a death eater, there at the right time had seen the girl and abducted her, taking her back to her father who made sure Astoria wouldn't return. Her body, with its tongue removed and a shallow, but cursed stab wound had been found in the middle of Diagon Alley three days later. The death of her sister had affected Daphne in a way that changed her completely. Once a shy, introverted girl who wanted to avoid conflict, Daphne had transformed into a true Slytherin. She could be cruel, manipulative and vindictive, but her strategic mind was focused on ending the Dark Side, with her alliance truly tied to the Light.

Hermione and Daphne had undertaken an extensive Healing course and could have had jobs at Mungo's had the war not taken place. Anybody who was injured was sent to the girls and they had trained themselves in all aspects of magical healing, from common curses and spells to broken spines and fractured skulls, the girls could heal them in a blink of an eye due to their ability to learn quickly and their seemingly never-ending supply of patients to practice on.

The use of darker curses had slowly become more common and with research and commitment, the two had been able to cure some of the most poisonous wounds, and their efforts had been rewarded in the form of Pansy.

The dark haired girl had shown up in the arms of Sirius Black one night; unconscious, poisoned and dying. Her friends Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini had been right behind her, both bloody and exhausted as the party stumbled into Grimmauld Place, with Sirius shouting for Hermione and Daphne as he barreled through the hallway into the front room. Arthur Weasley was the only other member awake at four in the morning and had helped summon all of the healing equipment in the house as he placed her down onto one of the sofas in the first-floor drawing room.

The commotion caused by Sirius had been enough to rouse the entire house and soon Harry had arrived, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he took in the situation. The Boy Who Lived had come to terms with Daphne but three other Slytherins turning up out of the blue had put him on the defensive, his wand out in front of him as he was pushed aside by the two witches.

"Oh knock it off Harry, she's no harm," chastised Sirius as he rose to his feet from next to the sofa where he had placed the small girl. Harry blinked and his arm dropped, his faith in his Godfather outweighing his uneasy distrust of the new guests.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" demanded Daphne as she finally made her way into the room, wrapping a blue cotton dressing gown around her thin frame. Theodore Nott made a strangled sound and appeared out of nowhere in front of his childhood friend, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. Daphne squeaked into his chest as Blaise Zabini crushed her from her back, wrapping his arms around her and clasping his hands around Theo's back.

"I thought you'd died Daph, we heard about Storie and..." Blaise trailed off, glancing at Hermione who had been running diagnostic spells and administering pain potions to the prone Pansy. The simple motion had steeled Daphne back to her Healer self once more and she wriggled out of the boys' grip to join Hermione at the side of the sofa.

"I mean it, Theo, what happened? Why are you here? What happened?"

"Hasn't McGonagall told you all?"


	2. the revelation

The two girls stared dumbfounded at Blaise, their jaw open slightly as they processed his words.

"You did what? When? Why didn't you tell me? Really?"

"Merlin Daph, I don't think I've ever heard you ask so many questions in such a short space of time," whispered Pansy, her dark eyes fluttering as she tried to move. The two girls' attentions were soon refocused as they set about healing the cuts and injuries on their patient.

"We've been feeding tidbits of information to the Order for months now. We were supposed to align publically but..." answered Theo from the corner of the room. The tall boy had his arms folded and Hermione had a chance to finally look at him as Daphne busied herself with a bleeding scrape on Pansy's cheekbone.

The wizard was certainly tall, he had a few inches over Blaise but stood shorter than Harry who had just reached a lanky six foot two. Curly brown hair was cut close the sides of his head but left to grow wild on the top and it flopped down into his green eyes. Theodore had a strong jaw and Hermione could see how he was chewing on his tongue and the muscle around his ears was prominent as he worried about his friend.

Blaise, on the other hand, was showing his emotions plainly as he paced in front of the ever-roaring fire. The dark-skinned wizard was running his hand over his shaved head and he continued to glance at the three girls who were making little noise at the side of the room.

After a final push for the truth, Blaise faced the Gryffindors. He sighed and glanced at Theo once before launching into the retelling of the past few months.

After hearing about the Greengrass sisters defection to the Order, Theo had approached the rest of his childhood friends to see where their futures were going.

Theo, Blaise, Pansy and Millicent Bulstrode had contacted McGonagall to join the Order. Their Slytherin natures were dominant as each recognised the importance of the Order and how it was vital for their survival. Not only had the path been paved for them by Daphne's courage, but Draco Malfoy's sudden disappearance.

In April, four months before Voldemort's true and final death, Draco Malfoy had vanished from the Manor, along with his mother Narcissa. Narcissa had arrived on the doorstep of her sister, Andromeda Tonks and had joined the Order soon after, but Draco's whereabouts remained hidden to all except Harry Potter, unbeknown to those at Grimmauld Place.

Draco had been on the side of the Light since he had been fifteen and only McGonagall, Snape and Sirius had known about Dumbledore's 'hidden weapon', all with their own opinions on the matter.

After Dumbledore's planned death, Harry had been told of Draco's true allegiance and the mission he was to undertake. After a few and varied owls from the boy, his friend's had finally transferred to the Light for good, staying in a safe house in Kent for a few months to keep to themselves. Millie had returned to her father after a few months, not strong enough to resist the pull of the Dark Lord's power.

The task of moving safehouses after Millie's abandonment had proved harder than previously thought and an ambush from several death eaters had resulted in Pansy being cut with a cursed dagger which was how Sirius had found the trio at the designated apparition point under an hour ago.

Blaise finished with a sigh and resumed his pacing, whilst Theo stayed in the corner, watching silently with dark eyes.

Harry had taken a seat next to Sirius, questioning the elder man quietly as the minutes ticked by. No one spoke as Pansy continued to slip in and out of consciousness and Hermione tried to remove the poison from her veins. The niggling feeling she had experience when Blaise mention Malfoy was still there, growing into a ball of anxiety as Pansy's breathing even out and the poison was floating in a sphere from Daphne's wand, mimicking the feeling in Hermione's gut.

Confident that the curse would have no side effects, Hermione pushed herself up from the floor and turned to Harry, her arms crossed over her chest as an eyebrow raised.

"Where is he?"

Harry's eyebrows raised into his hairline and he coughed. Hermione didn't allow his gaze to wander the room and she glared at Sirius until he too looked away.

"I asked where Malfoy was, I am not going to ask again. Harry, what mission is he on?"

The black haired wizard sighed deeply before he stood up. "Draco's been following a lead on Greyback but he hasn't written a letter to me in a while so I don't know what is going."

Daphne was crouched next to Pansy, stroking her friend's inky black hair absentmindedly whilst she seemed to communicate with Theo silently through eye contact alone. Hermione's heart began to hammer at the thought of the blonde wizard, but when Harry mentioned his name, the knot of anxiety swelled to something bigger, as a bolt of electricity went down her spine and made her knees weak.

Sirius saw the change in her body but it was her eyes that made him jump from his seat. All eyes turned to him and he left without explanation. Hermione was still recovering from the shock when he returned, dragging a semi-sleeping Remus behind him.

"What's going on?" he yawned, glancing around at the new arrivals with disinterest and then settling himself on the single armchair. Theo visibly paled when he saw Remus and Blaise had stopped pacing. The two shared a knowing look which didn't go amiss over Hermione's head for Harry, who watched with interest.

"Say it again Harry," ordered Sirius as he motioned to Remus dramatically.

"Huh? What about Draco?" Harry asked, missing the flash in Hermione's eyes.'

Sirius was nodding enthusiastically, pointing in an exaggerated manner at Hermione who was sat facing the fire with her back to him. The majority of eyebrows rose in confusion as they watched Sirius slap Remus' upper shoulder. "Mione, what did you ask again?" prompted Sirius who seemed to have woken up considerably.

Hermione turned with a confused look on her face. "I asked about Malfoy. You heard me say it."

"About Draco?"

The collective gasp made Hermione's eyes widen as it coincided with the electric shock once more.

"Stop saying his name," she whimpered.

"Mione, did you know your eyes flash gold when we do."

"I get an electric shock," she admitted, blushing.

Remus had sat ramrod straight, his own iris' transitioning into his lupine gold, the same shade as Hermione's did.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you," he said, his voice deeper than usual. Sirius had his hands on his friend's shoulders, keeping him pinned to the chair.

"Not alone you're not. Mione, we can talk in the morning, Remus has a potion to take," and with that, he hauled his friend up and into the kitchen.

"What was that about?" came the quiet voice of Pansy, still prone on the sofa.


	3. The Chat

"Hermione Granger," Theo muttered, shaking his head with the barest hint of a smirk visible, almost in disbelief. "After all this time it was you."

"What are you talking about Nott?" Hermione replied, pushing herself up to her knees. The aftershocks had settled into a pleasant feeling that made her body feel too warm but she did not dare move, trying to catch the eye of the Slytherin.

Theo glanced at Harry, their green eyes meeting for a brief second before Theo's attention turned to Hermione.

"I apologise but it is not my place to say. It was simply a slip of the tongue," he said, crossing his arms with a slight shake of his head.

Hermione frowned, uneasy at the sudden change of mood in the room. Pansy was slowly regaining consciousness and Blaise had joined the girls on the sofa, lifting Pansy's feet up so he could rest them in his lap. Daphne kept glancing at Theo but refused to meet Hermione's eye. The Gryffindor knew that something was amiss and that the Slytherins knew the cause, but once Theo shook his head in finality, Daphne seemed to drop any inclination of knowledge, an action mimicked by Blaise simultaneously.

Deciding to childishly ignore the rest of the group, Hermione turned to Harry and held out one delicate hand. The wizard instantly slid his own hand into her palm and helped lift her from the floor, a confused look on his face at her sudden attitude change. The Hermione Granger he knew would not give up so easily for information that she desired, and would usually go as far as threatening with her wand. Harry could see the dynamic of the childhood friends who were all looking at each other then Pansy as if communicating somehow.

Hermione had found that over the past three months her ability to touch people, particularly males had caused pain to both her and the recipient, like a static shock. After a week of trial and error, the witch found that she could touch Harry and Mr Weasley, but the other males would receive shocks that would knock them flat to the floor. When she had brushed her fingers over Sirius' purposely at dinner one night, he had slumped over into the soup. Remus had been sent flying backwards and Ron had passed out at the intensity of the shock. The twins had avoided touching her skin but were the only ones, besides Harry and the girls who would attempt to hug her.

No amount of research had surfaced an answer and to go hand in hand with the shocks, Hermione could no longer stomach the personal scents of many in the house, particularly Remus'. She had confided in Tonks who was dumbfounded at the revelation. McGonagall also had no idea and Hermione had resorted to breathing through her mouth only and wearing skin covering clothes when the house was full.

"Well, it's almost dawn so I am going to get breakfast, you're welcome to refresh yourself in any of the rooms on the third floor." Hermione didn't even turn to address the new housemates and all but dragged Harry out into the hallway.

The wizard managed to push his glasses up his nose before Hermione continued to drag him up the stairs and they slipped again. The witch cast a quick spell in the direction of the kitchen and at their feet before ensuring that they were taking at least two steps at a time. The speed increased when Harry heard the door to the living room open, but all too soon he was pushed into a room on the third floor and into the corner behind the door.

"What ar-"

"Shush, and hold still."

Harry could no longer see Hermione but he felt her warm breath on his jaw, and he could feel her body pressed up against his, but he couldn't see either of them. The dissolution charm finally encompassed and hid their feet when the door opened once more, with Blaise carrying Pansy and Daphne leading the way. Theo brought up the back of the pack and he slunk into the room with no sound, looking around with tired eyes.

Harry felt Hermione's hand cover his mouth and he panicked for a second. His heavy breathing had stirred Pansy's hair as Blaise carried her past the hidden Gryffindors but if he noticed, it didn't show. All the pair could do was watch and listen as Theo began to unbutton his shirt and Blaise placed Pansy in one of the three single beds.

"I cannot believe you wouldn't send me anything. A cryptic clue or a howler would have been appreciated. I was worried sick," clucked Daphne as she cast some simple healing and cleansing spells to rid the boys of blood. Hermione mentally scolded herself for overlooking Blaise's bust lip or Theo's bruised and bloodied hands.

"It's not like we could Daph, we were in a complete hole. It's miraculous we could even receive owls, but we could never return them." Daphne visibly calmed at this and allowed Theo to wrap his arms around her once more. She leaned into his bare chest as he drew patterns on her back. "Merlin, I've missed you."

"Honestly Daph, don't leave him again, he wouldn't stop moping about the place. If you ask me, I think Theo's the reason Millicent left," laughed Blaise as he began snooping through the chest of draws. Theo's easy smile dropped once Millicent was brought up, but Daphne had intervened. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed the softest of kisses to Theo's lips, her small hands dwarfed as she cradled his face.

Hermione was astonished to see the intimate act, oblivious to Daphne's relationship status despite becoming quite good friends. The pair looked right together, as Daphne's body moulded into Theo's. Hermione could tell they knew each others body language and facial expressions, and they were easily able to slip back into their previous connection, despite the months apart.

"Are you going to tell Granger?" wondered Blaise as he pulled a simple cotton shirt off its hanger from inside the wardrobe. Harry recognised the shirt as one of his own that he thought Kreacher had lost on purpose whilst doing the Order's laundry. It was grey and had a faded Quidditch crest on the left breast, an old hand-me-down from one of the Weasley's.

"He has to be the one to tell her. How old is she now, seventeen?" Daphne asked, looking up at Theo.

He nodded. "If this damn war wouldn't have happened he could have courted her at Hogwarts."

"Like she would have agreed to that," scoffed Blaise as he threw a maroon jumper at the couple who were still locked in a tight embrace. It settled over Theo's left shoulder and he grinned down at the witch in his arms.

"I want to be there when he shows up, he hasn't seen or smelt the girl in nearly a year," Theo said through a yawn. Daphne nodded, a pensive look on her face as she pushed her boyfriend into the second empty bed.

"She's not with either of the Wonder Boys is she?" Daphne shook her head and kissed his lips once more, before she turned to Blaise, expecting him to be in the final bed. He was dressed in a mismatch of clothes that he had found from the wardrobe and odd socks. Every item of clothing belonged to a different person and Harry finally realised which room they were in. The third floor was for guests and Kreacher and Dobby would place clothing from the Order members who didn't reside permanently at Grimmauld Place in the guest rooms for anyone to wear. The biggest room now belonged to this trio he guessed.

"No, she said they were more like brothers than lovers. A few months ago she kissed one of the twins but said it felt wrong, almost like her lips had been burnt." Hermione's eyes widen as she recalled the late night conversation the three girls had had. After indulging in too much fire whiskey at Ginny's small birthday gathering, Hermione had pecked George but the action had scorned her and she had confided in the girls.

"The bond is strong. She jumps when she hears his name and scorching is something that is only found in mates. He must be half dead where ever he is, the poor bastard," murmured Theo as his eyelids drooped sluggishly. Daphne and Blaise shared a worried look before he turned to the door.

"Let's go get some breakfast, we can worry about it when Draco writes again," suggested Blaise. The blonde witch nodded and allowed her friend to lead her out of the room.

Hermione allowed the spell to fall and Harry could finally see her petite body pressing his into the wall. The two were staring at the sleeping Slytherins for a few moments, both lost in thought. Hermione's mind was reeling from the potential answers to the problems that had been voiced over the course of the hour. Her eyes flashing, the electric shock and even previous dilemmas, like her inability to kiss or touch someone without being burnt and the reoccurring nightmares of the bitten boy.

Harry's mind was hung up on the fact that Malfoy was communicating with his friends but not the Order and had obviously kept something back, hence the 'half dead' comment. He couldn't understand how that linked to Hermione and what they could possibly need to tell her, but he knew that he needed to corner Blaise and get the information.

"Shit!" cursed Hermione as she became animated once one. "They think we're making breakfast."

Harry looked down at one of his oldest friends and he could see her mind whirling as she tried to understand her recent changes. No matter how hard she tried to hide them, Harry knew should couldn't touch anyone else and that if she had been stood nose to chest with any other male, she would be nearly retching at the smell. He had been attempting to research the causes for the past few days but he hadn't gotten very far. The young wizard wrapped an arm around her delicate shoulders and pecked her forehead, apparating the pair into the kitchen only seconds before the door was opened by Daphne and Blaise.


	4. The Slip

After busing themselves with breakfast and attempting to assist Kreacher, only to be cursed at, Harry and Hermione settled down to eat. Slowly over the course of ten minutes or so, the rest of the occupants of the house minus the Slytherins arrived.

Sat around the long oak that morning, each holding either steaming cups of tea or in Ron's case, eating a three course breakfast, the Order was quiet. Blaise's appearance had shocked only Ron and after Sirius and Molly's testimonies to his true allegiance did he continue eating. The uncanny silence as everyone adjusted to the new arrival unnerved Ginny slightly as she wandered into the crowded room.

She felt her eyebrows crease as she accepted a plate of eggs and bacon from Kreacher, who was grinning uncharacteristically. Ginny had come to accept random people arriving in the middle of the night, and she had no objection to him, so she simply ignored him.

The elf's grey skin drooped as his supposed smile revealed a few rotten teeth, scaring the witch slightly as she sat down.

"Kreacher, I am ordering you not to disturb them," warned Sirius as he watched the exchange. The elf kept staring at Blaise with the smile, offering the boy cups and plates of foods he would never usually cook.

Ginny by this point was seated next to Daphne, more confused than before. Blaise was physically pushing the persistent elf away.

"We've got more guests?" she whispered into the blonde's ear. Being one of the youngest members, the redhead was usually left out of the loop when it came to Order plans. Now that the war was over for good, Ginny couldn't begin to imagine who would need refuge in the dusty old house. Daphne nodded with a beaming smile and Ginny accepted that unless she got the answer from Hermione, she would have to find out for herself.

"Yes master, Kreacher would never go against Master Black. Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black," replied the elf with a low bow, knowing that mentioning his family's name would annoy the wizard. Sirius was sat near the head of the table, his fists clenched so that he wouldn't throw the butter dish at the elf's head.

"I don't see why Remus needed to be sent away," came the voice of Molly Weasley from the other end of the table. The matriarch of the Weasley's had the back of her left hand to Hermione's forehead, seeming to be checking for a fever, whilst her right was prodding the younger witches' neck. "I'm sure this has nothing to do with him."

"Molly, I am fine, please," pleaded Hermione, trying in vain to peel Mrs Weasley's hands away from her flushed face. The older woman scowled at Sirius, the only other 'adult' in the kitchen as if blaming him for Hermione's predicament. Her questions were aimed at the table, but Sirius saw the worry in her eyes.

"Molly, Remus banished himself. Nobody is forcing him to go to the Tonks'," he explained calmly through a mouthful of toast. The rest of the table continued with their breakfast, unsure of the topic of conversation and knowing it would be unwise to pick at the problem. Ginny, Ron, the Twins and Harry avoided Hermione eye as she realised that Remus had left embecause/em of her. Blaise had sunk into himself, ignoring the rest of the table.

"Remus left?" she whispered, dejected and lost at the outcome of the past twenty-four hours. First, the Slytherins had arrived and Hermione knew they knew the cause of her recent problems, another straw upon the proverbial camel's back. Remus' leaving and the newfound electric shock at emhis /emname made her insides twist and knot. He had something to do with this and it frustrated the witch to no end. No amount of research or digging could surface an answer and it was scaring her.

Hermione Granger, the Brightest Witch of her Age was scared of something she couldn't name. The physical changes had left her with no answers despite countless hours of researching and reading. Hermione could feel herself hyperventilating but all she could think about was the unanswered questions and what they meant. Her sight became blurred and she could no longer hear Sirius explain the situation to the rest of the table. Her chest constricted and she felt panic flooding her senses, making her head pound. Hermione could feel that she was no longer sat in Grimmauld Place's warm kitchen, but laying in the damp undergrowth of what looked like a forest.

Confused, she blinked multiple times but she felt like was no longer in her body. She tried to lift her hand but something went wrong and she felt the body shift without her, leaving her behind somewhere. She was in the head of somebody else and she knew it. The Body was naked and bleeding, scratched and sore and Hermione could feel the mind pressing against her own, like a hand pressing against her cheek. It felt familiar and real and suddenly the panic faded and was replaced with content, an alien feeling to the witch who was scared stiff. She was absorbing the feelings of the Body and Hermione saw a hand in front of her face.

A man's hand, pale and strong with sculpted fingers and neatly trimmed nails. She could feel his concentration as he flexed his fingers, turning his palm over and over as the sunlight streamed through the canopy above. The intimacy of the moment, Hermione felt the Man's delight at his ability to move, shocked her.

The Man became alert, looking around wildly at the sudden, foreign emotion. Hermione attempted to calm down and slow her heartbeat, his heartbeat, with soothing words and peaceful thoughts. Unsure whether she had succeeded, she waited patiently. The Man blinked slowly before he stood, his mind stroking hers, much like Occlumency would. The slow burn in his muscles as he rose made him grimace and wince. Hermione felt him stretch, feeling her own sore muscles move as he did.

The Man was hunched slightly, pain still flashing through his body somewhere. Hermione allowed her mind to expand and could feel how hazy and distracted the Man's mind was. He resisted her mentally at first, his body going rigid as he felt her. The Man allowed her to isolate the pain, a deep scratch on his upper right arm which was leaking a river of scarlet blood. Hermione felt her panic return, concerned for the Man whose body she had overtaken.

"Granger." The Man's voice was deep and hoarse, and Hermione could feel his dehydration and a darker emotion, something she couldn't name. Before she could respond, she felt herself return to her body, still sat at the table in Grimmauld Place.

Hermione's bones felt heavy within her skin which was littered with the same little scratches the Man had. Her upper right arm was burning in the same way he had been, and her throat was dry and itchy. Despite the gravity of the situation, slipping into someone else's consciousness without control and returning in the same physical condition as the mind's occupant, Hermione felt an enormous sense of calm and well-being. The pleasant feeling, as if she was safe and where she was supposed to be, was the same one she would feel at her unofficial table in the library at Hogwarts.

Her gaze refocused and she could see the rest of the Order, crowded around her with concern. Sirius was scowling deeply and he shared a look with Blaise who had remained in his seat at the other end of the table. Harry and Ron had rushed behind her when she had first 'left' her body and collapsed. Harry was gripping her, holding her upright whereas Ron had been thrown back into the wall, knocking him out. Molly was fussing over her son, ordering the Twins to carry him to his room. Ginny sat in front of Hermione, one of Hermione's hands in her own. Daphne was whispering spells onto the deep cut, a complete binary to the Man's. The group watched the skin fuse back together and heal into a thin pink line of fresh scar tissue but Hermione's attention was elsewhere.

"He said my name, he knew who I was," she croaked as she looked up at Sirius and over at Blaise. The men glanced at each other once more before Sirius left in a billow of robes. Hermione could hear him activating the Floo with an angry tone.

Besides Ginny, the rest of the Weasley's had followed Sirius' suit, departing to look after their son. Blaise, feeling more comfortable and confident within himself considering the crowd, slid down the long bench. Hermione pushed Harry off and turned to the Slytherin. "Who was that?" she demanded.

Blaise sighed deeply, running a hand over his face. Harry had begun to pace the length of the kitchen, ordering Kreacher away.

"He's changed back. He'll be on his way home," Blaise informed the ceiling as he let his head drop back, his throat long and exposed as he stared at the peeling paint of the kitchen's high ceiling.

"Who will be? Changed from what?"

"Draco," Hermione flinched at the shock but Blaise continued despite it, finally looking down. "He's been unable to write to you Potter because he couldn't change back."

Harry had stopped pacing and turned to face Blaise, understanding flashing across his face. "How long?"

"A week at the most, he will have been tracking her movement so he will know where she is," Blaise replied, avoiding Hermione's eye.

The brunette stood abruptly. "Blaise Zabini, if you do not tell me what the hell is going on I am going to hex you," she warned, her tone low as she held her wand out. Blaise barely raised an eyebrow but he took a seat under Hermione's direction.

"Theo's gonna kill me," he murmured. Hermione prodded him in the temple, one eyebrow raised in threat. "Fine, Draco Malfoy is on his way home. He hasn't written to the Order in fourth months because he couldn't change back from his wolf form."

Hermione had pressed herself up against the wall, her wand held limply by her side as her jaw dropped slightly.

"Mione, Draco is a..." began Harry.

"Werewolf," she interrupted, her voice quiet and small. "He's a werewolf."


	5. The Letter

The mood for the rest of the morning was low. Ron had woken up after a few hours with a lump on his head and a pounding headache and assured Hermione that _he_ was at fault.

The brunette had been shuffled into one of the reading rooms that had been affectionately renamed as her library and Harry had called for Kreacher to supply endless amount of her favourite tea. The elf complied and after six cups, Hermione finally felt herself return to her body full. She no longer felt in danger of slipping back into his mind, and her senses had returned fully. She could smell the dust in the corners of the clustered room and Ginny's lavender shampoo.

Pansy and Theo had risen around midday in a better state than they had arrived at the Headquarters. Six hours of uninterrupted sleep had reawakened the boy and he was propping Pansy up as the walked into the room. Daphne had all but launched herself at the wizard but restrained herself when Pansy winced at the sudden movement. The unusual group who had piled into Hermione's library were sat on any available surface. Hermione had duplicated a navy bean-bag and had magically extended the chaise lounge whilst she took her usual swirling office chair. The Golden Trio, Ginny and the Slytherins had slipped into a comfortable conversation which soon turned more personal. Ginny had sat herself on Harry's lap at the edge of Blaine's feet, an act which was mirrored by Daphne was wrapped in Theo's embrace on the floor in front of the small fire. Blaise was reclined on the sofa, with his legs in Pansy's lap and Ron had leaned against one of the multiple bookshelves. Hermione had passed around a tin of Muggle toffees and settled into her armchair, allowing the conversation to organically grow.

To an outsider, or Arthur as he passed the little study, the laughter and chatter made the group seem like they had been friends for decades, not the few hours they had been. Mr Weasley smiled as he continued his descent down to the kitchen. The wide grin was still there when he greeted his wife who was sat at the table, a forgotten mug of tea left abandoned under her clasped hands. She rested her forehead against her linked fingers and her shoulders were shaking slightly. Arthur stopped and softly sighed. Molly Weasley was a worrier by nature and her husband knew how hard she had taken Hermione's change. The entire Order had tried to produce an answer for the witch, but it seems that it might have caught up with her.

"Did you hear from Ginny?" came the soft voice of the usually strong witch. Arthur had sunk into the bench next to her, prising her hands open so he could hold one. "Hermione slipped into Draco Malfoy's mind. Ginny watched cuts appear from nowhere and then she just woke up. Arthur, she's..."

Molly cut herself off, her lips clamping shut as she stared at her husband, unshed tears blurring his worried face.

"She's his mate Mollywobbles. You know they have always been entangled within each other." It was true. Ron had written home during his first term at Hogwarts boasting about his friends and informing his parents about his classes. Within the eleven-year olds joyous letter, he had written about Hermione and the uneasy feeling he would get when they were alone. Ron had confessed that he thought it was because he was in love with her, but a second letter dismissed the fact. Molly had stored every letter each of her children had ever sent and she had re-read Ron's so many times she had memorised it.

 _Dear Mum, Dad, Ginny and anyone else._

 _I love Hogwarts! It's nothing like Fred described, it's amazing. I'm in Gryffindor with Harry and a girl called Hermione. She's a Muggleborn and a complete know-it-all but she's pretty and she's nice. She helps us with our homework. That's something George forgot to tell me about. I am being to made to write essays taller than I am! The feasts are brilliant, so much each day. Can Harry and Hermione come round for Christmas. Dad can ask them about anything Muggle, they won't mind. I keep meaning to write but classes are so tiring and I have so much homework, I feel like half the year is already gone. I get this feeling when I am alone with Hermione for a long time, like a shock when we touch. I told Neville, another of the Gryffindors and he guessed I'm in love but that can't be. She's like Ginny. Harry doesn't feel a shock, he hugs her all the time, but Neville says he was shocked on the train but doesn't think Hermione has learnt how to do that yet. There's a Malfoy here, like you said he would be. He's in Slytherin. He's got some weird name but he's partnered with Hermione in Potions. Dean said that Hermione's eyes glow in Potions which is stupid. He says they're gold but I bet it's just the fire under the cauldron. B they're top of every class we have. I'll try and follow your advise but I don't know if it will work._

 _Merlin, I wish I was allowed to play Quidditch. The Twins and Percy have been okay, the Twins have been in detention four times already, all from McGonagall, she turns into a cat Mum,_

 _Love and miss you,_

 _Ron_

"I knew as soon as I read that letter," Molly sobbed slightly after she recited it. Arthur had never read the letters, he'd only been informed of the general message once his wife had stored the note away so he listened eagerly. Arthur hadn't realised that his wife had known about Hermione. He personally hadn't realised anything had been wrong. Arthur was able to touch her skin and had slept through her nightmares and had never seen her eyes flash before. "The shock made me start to research and I reached out to Andromeda to see if she could help recruit Narcissa. The fact her eyes were gold around him surprised the three of us."

Arthur nodded along to his wife. "Maybe we should invite them over for supper. It might be easier to tell Hermione with the three of you there."

The afternoon went by quickly and Molly waited for her owl to be returned. She had checked on the younger members and ordered Kreacher to make them some cold sandwiches for lunch before she informed them that there would be guests for dinner.

Around seven, the late summer sun was sinking behind the clouds of outer London and Hermione was taking refuge in her now empty study. The rest of the Order were doing their own things and she could finally put her thoughts in order. Hermione pulled a piece of partchment out from one of the draws and picked up her Eagle feather quill. The long, gold-nibbed quill had been a mysterious Christmas present just before her OWLS. After thorough checks, Hermione had written an essay with the gift and found it to fit perfectly in her fingers, her writing neat and quick as if the quill was an extension of her body. The never-ending supply of silky black ink allowed her to take it everywhere.

Unrolling the partchment, Hermione curled herself into the chair, allowing her mind to settle. She began to write what she had taken to calling symptoms.

 _Unexplained injuries (bruises and scratches that appear out of nowhere or overnight)_

 _Inability to touch males (despite H and A)_

 _Slipping into his mind_

 _Flashing eyes (apparently gold)_

 _Electric-like shock_

 _Nightmares more frequent during the week of full moon_

The facts added up and Hermione finally knew what had been happening. Draco Malfoy was a werewolf and from the looks of it, she was guessing she was his mate. The thought scared her slightly, but a flare of excitement jumped through her bones. Deep down, she knew it was true, it felt right. She had always been around Malfoy, ever since they met at eleven.

They were paired together in the majority of their subjects, their test scores were practically identical. Being apart of the Golden Trio meant that they usually found themselves in trouble, but Hermione had managed for the six years that they had been at Hogwarts, before the interruption for the war, to miss the majority of the punishment. Instead she had spent her time in the library, in a secluded corner of the hardly-used fiction section, which she shared with one other student. Draco.

The two students had began a tentative friendship during the summer of their first year. They revised together and helped each other earn nearly perfect scores in all of their exams. The pair realised their ability to work well and soon chose to met up during study periods to plan essays or write homework. Neither thought the other as a friend until their third year. Between that time, Hermione had come to expect Draco to be sat at their table with either his books or Blaise. The only other student that knew of their 'relationship'. Hermione had dropped multiple hints for Harry but had spent the majority of his early teens being used like a pawn in Dumbledore's schemes. Ron did not fuss over Hermione's personal choices, only offered an opinion if she asked for it. The boys had learnt that telling the witch to do something only lead to disappointment for them.

The comforting, safe feeling she would get when she was in the library, at their table together, was something she had felt before. In potion lessons, sharing quiet laughs and private jokes, and in Arithmancy when they would work through advanced material together. When she had been inside his head that morning, she recognised the easy feeling instantly, something she hadn't felt since leaving Hogwarts nearly a year earlier. The tingly feeling would only bloom in her chest when she was around Draco.

Hermione could cry from relief at knowing the cause and the symptom. She wanted to yell and scream and shout but she remained in her chair, starring at the dying flames until Molly Weasley's voice floated up the stairway signalling dinner and the arrival of the guests.


	6. The Dinner

AN: Finally a little bit of Draco but I am so cruel it's only little! More coming soon and I appreciate every single review, favourite and follow I have had so far, thank you :) Please R&R and Enjoy :)

* * *

Andromeda Tonks looked around her sizeable living room with a slight smile. After nearly ten years, she could finally breathe easily. Her nephew, infected at the age of eight, had been a source of much worry for the witch. After her marriage and subsequent banishment, Andromeda kept only limited contact with the wizarding world. She would correspond weekly with her childhood friend Molly Weasley, and monthly with her remaining sister, Narcissa. The two Blacks had remained as close as before their marriages, and after Draco's bite and his joining of the Order through Professor McGonagall, they both joined. After Draco's fourteenth birthday, Narcissa had moved into one of the Black family's coastal properties and out of the Manor, where only her son and sister, the two secret keepers, knew the location of.

"Cissy, a letter has arrived," she called into the hallway, suspecting her sister to be in the Kitchen. As if on cue, the door to the kitchen opened and Narcissa whirled into the room.

"Is it from Draco," she panted, forgetting her age as she snatched for the letter. Andromeda laughed as Ted walked into the room.

"Ladies, please," he chuckled good naturedly.

The witches broke apart but Narcissa's eyes were transfixed upon the partchment. "It's from Molly. She's invited us to dinner tonight. Dora and Remus included," informed Andromeda, stroking the side of her sister's face as the blonde lady frowned. "It's footnote is about Draco though, he's changed back," she beamed.

Narcissa remained stationary for a moment before she _accio'd_ the letter to her hands. Her ice blue eyes scanned Molly's scratched handwriting, drinking in the information about her only son. The high-society child their mother had raised looked back at Andromeda for a second before Narcissa had disapparated to her home, no doubt crying with joy about her son and trying to get herself ready for the evening. Ted just blinked before he set about organising things for a night away and telling his daughter and her 'friend'.

* * *

Kreacher, with the help of Dobby, had created a feast large enough to feed an army. Molly had tasked those in the house to help clean and tidy the ground floor and the two guest bedrooms. Fred and George were practically chained to the table as they were forced to polish the silverware, much to their chagrin. Theo and Blaise had been roped into dusting whilst Ginny and Daphne helped make the two rooms up. Pansy had been allowed to sit in the kitchen and occasionally she would chat with the Twins or help cut vegetables, despite her protests that she was fine and she could do more.

Hermione heard Mrs Weasley give the house a thirty minute warning and she had climbed to her room to change after being made to polish the banister. On her bed was a simple gold shift dress which seemed too fancy for the dinner. She knew Daphne had left it out for a reason, for it usually remained under a dust cover in her wardrobe. After a quick shower and magically drying her hair, she was about to slip into the garment when Daphne and Ginny entered their shared room.

"Why are we dressing so nice?"

"Narcissa and the Tonks' are coming around. It's nice to finally wear my nice gowns again," explained Daphne as she helped Ginny apply a light dusting of makeup onto Hermione who was multitasking. The three girls had dressed and were ready in a record time. Hermione fluffed her curls once before she lead the way down to the kitchen, replying to Molly's call.

They joined Theo on the third floor landing and Ginny complemented Pansy's blue ensemble, another of Daphne's dresses. Pansy smiled at the redhead and pulled her close to link their pale arms. Ginny's eyebrows rose as she shot a worried look at her roommates over her shoulder. Daphne just grinned and leaned to press a kiss to Theo's lips.

"I didn't know the two of you were together," said Hermione as she followed the couple.

Theo smirked over Daphne's head as she laughed. "I never thought to mention it when we first met. We had been engaged for so long I forget some people don't know."

"Had been engaged?"

In response, Theo raised Daphne's left hand and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. Before Hermione's eyes a platinum ring materialised on her wedding finger which was nestled between two solid bands. Hermione tried to hold in her girlish squeal as she seized her friend's hand.

"Ginny!" she called, still holding onto her hand. Ginny ascended the stairs once more and practically flew up the final few steps as soon as she caught sight of the ring. Ginny released the squeal Hermione was holding and she bounced on her toes.

"How did you manage to keep that hidden for months?" she prodded, inspecting the ring close to her face.

"It was my Grandmother's," supplied Theo as he took Daphne's delicate hand back, "There was a charm placed on it to protect her and the ring. It was activated three days into our marriage when Daphne fled for the Order. Only my kiss would have made it reappear."

"I cannot believe we have been married just over a year and I have spent less than a week with you physically," Daphne sighed with a pout as they finally made it to the ground floor and into the kitchen. It was full with nearly every seat on the two long benches taken up. Daphne and Theo, still hand in hand were scooped into a bone-crushing hug as soon as they entered the bust room. The Malfoy matriarch was gripping them tight, offering belated congratulations on their marriage which prompted the entire stairs conversation again.

"Mrs Malfoy," greeted Ginny politely after the elder witch had released the couple. Narcissa brushed the comment off with a gentle smile.

"Merlin, please call me Cissa. You make me sound like my mother-in-law," she laughed, patting Ginny's cheek. "You've grown beautiful Ginevra, and I hear you are a force to be reckoned with on the pitch." Ginny smiled brightly in reply and went to greet the Tonks'.

"Hermione Granger, it is nice to finally meet you." Narcissa said quietly, stood with her arms out and Hermione was too shocked at the gesture to move and she allowed the smaller witch to wrap her into a light hug. "I understand you will have plenty of questions and if he is as quick on two feet as he was on four, you may even meet your fate in person tonight."

"Blaise said it might take a week," Hermione bleated, the shock of the entire situation taking her breath away for a second. She was the mate of a boy she hadn't seen in over a year and in the arms of his high-society mother.

Narcissa lead Hermione to the table and they took a seat. Narcissa was sat between Hermione and Blaise, who looked at her with a startled expression.

"It was just a guess Mama, I haven't heard from him in a months or so," he said around a mouth full of mashed potato, a guilty look on his face. Narcissa clucked her tongue at his haste regarding the food, but turned once more to the brunette beside her.

"I checked, he was in Cambridgeshire last week," she replied, allowing Arthur to pour her a glass of mead.

Hermione nodded as if it was information she already knew. Cambridge was less than two hours away and Hermione's stomach twisted itself into knots at the thought of Draco arriving that night.

"Narcissa, how long do _you_ think it will take?" Harry asked from further down the table as he passed the gravy boat to Theo who was also listening intently.

"He will be here by morning I can assure you that. Have you not felt him Miss Granger? His emotions?" Narcissa pressed on, nibbling her roast meat. She turned to answer Harry's questions, leaving Hermione to her thoughts and her food.

Hermione sat back and realised that she could feel him. For the past few years, Hermione could sense something deep with herself but had never been able to put her finger on it. Now that Narcissa had mentioned it, Hermione could feel Draco's ambition and determination. She guessed that was because he was trying to come to them.

As the meal pressed on without a hitch and the dessert was served, Hermione pushed all thoughts of Draco aside and enjoyed the company she was in. It wasn't until she stood to leave the table did she feel _it._

Pansy nudged the Twin next to her and elbowed Blaise as the Gryffindor's irises melted to a metallic gold and a sense of calm came over the young witch's features. The entire table watched with interest as Hermione gasped quietly. Colour rose to her cheeks and she all but ran to the front door, ripping it open so violently that the glass rattled in the pane. Sirius had not returned from his sulk earlier on in the day but nobody had worried. He had transformed into his animagus self and was on the pavement outside 12 Grimmauld Place, his flank stood up as he growled at a pale figure who was slumped on the road, illuminated in a pool of a street lamp's yellow light.

"Draco!"


	7. The Journey

Author's Note: a bit of a filler chapter but it's from Draco's pov. I promise I am trying to write longer chapters but right now they will be a little small. I hope you still enjoy. Please R&R and have fun :)

* * *

Lucius Malfoy had failed a simple task two weeks before Draco turned eight and it had changed the course of his son's life irrevocably. Two nameless Death Eaters had snatched the boy from his bed and thrown him into the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, his little body was tossed carelessly and his skull had cracked at the impact. Stood in the shadows was Fenrir Greyback, his lips pulled back from his teeth exposing his canines and pink gums as he growled at the terrified boy.

The screams and pleas of Narcissa was the last thing Draco heard before he collapsed from the pain of being bitten over and over for his father's incompetence. The Malfoy heir spent the week of his birthday chained in the same room he had been bitten, sobbing and howling as his bones shattered and ligaments snapped, only to re-fuse in an unnatural shape. The dark hatred Draco held towards his father and the dark arts had always been there but his outlook on life at eight years old turned sour. The extroverted and happy boy had been replaced by a cynical and mean young man. Narcissa had changed too. The youngest Black sister, once sweet and caring, transformed into a closed off and severe woman who would only acknowledge her son.

Narcissa had brewed Wolfsbane perfectly each month and had invented potions and spells to help stave off the transformation and the pain. By the time Draco had turned fourteen, his mother had created a blend of ingredients within the potion that meant he wouldn't transform during the full moon, he would simply be grumpier than usual, semi-nocturnal and he would prefer his meat a little rawer. This had always been the case and he had learned to live with hadn't fully transformed since before he had joined Hogwarts at eleven.

Since joining the Order, Draco had been asked to do simple things like gathering information or dealing with dark artifacts that had been confiscated from the Manor, but in January Kingsley Shacklebolt had asked him to track down Greyback and bring him in. Draco had completed the task quickly and efficiently but on arriving at the Ministry with the Werewolf in tow, an ill informed auror had tried to stun the pair. Draco's allegiance was a 'need-to-know' subject and fortunately Greyback had absorbed the spell, dropping to the floor in a heap as Draco stared wide-eyed at the trembling wizard. Soon, Draco was under fire from all sides and the stress and adrenaline had kick started his transformation.

A circle of armed Aurors had scattered once Draco's wolf had emerged, scrambling over each other as they attempted to flee the werewolf who was believed to be a Death Eater. A stray curse had hit the wolf's back and Draco had taken off, running from the ministry, not stopping till he was clear of London and into the countryside. Exhausted he had sought refuge in a national park and had remained there once he realised he was trapped within his alternate body.

However the months had been kind to Draco as he slept in hollowed out trees and chased the local wildlife. After the first week had gone by, the wizard found that he was having trouble forming coherent sentences within his head as the animalistic instincts of survival took over. He would catch rabbits and swipe birds out of trees in order to eat and when a month had gone by, Draco had become accustomed to snatching trout out of the stream and couldn't remember his own name. The only humanistic element that he could retain wasn't his, in the back of his mind.

He had read about werewolf mates and the rarity of finding them soon after his first transformation. He knew that his mate's unconscious mind was connected to his in some way, and vise versa, but the deadweight had never usually told him anything. Hermione's feelings had been slowly leaking into his mind, influencing him as he tried to survive.

Draco, much like Hermione, knew that there was something _more_ between them, and he had tried to spend as much time with her as possible during the term times. They would stop each other in the corridors between classes to chat mindlessly about irrelevant assignments that were due during the following week, or being out after curfew when the other would be patrolling as a prefect. Their shared need to interact with each other had not gone unnoticed by their respective friendship groups.

Ron would wait patiently as the two talked in crowded hallways, oblivious to the swarm of students trying to avoid being stuck behind the pair. Harry and Dean were used to being in conversation with the witch one moment and then turning to find that she was twenty feet behind asking the Slytherin's to pass a message onto the blonde wizard. Neville, would hear Hannah Abbott gush about the two 'coincidently' meeting during Hannah and Draco's prefect duty the following day in Herbology.

The Snakes on the other hand were a family and had know about Hermione since Draco had. The wizard had confessed to what Blaise had taken to affectionately calling 'his furry problem' in their first year, a secret that would be taken to the grave from the group. Twelve year old Daphne had written to Narcissa to ask for her Wolfsbane ingredients so that Theo could brew it in their dorm room and Pansy had helped conceal his mood swings and cravings, making herself the subject of vicious gossip so that the few rumours of Draco would never be given anybodies full attention. The quartet would help push Draco and Hermione into situations where they would have to interact, for example when Blaise had been caught trying to sneak into the Gryffindor common room 'accidently' and a prefect from each house would be need, a box of Bertie Bott's beans had somehow made their way to Blaise's pillow with a simple note scrawling 'thanks' over two hours later when they had spent all that time squashed into Professor McGonagall's small personal study.

* * *

The morning had started like any other. Draco had sniffed around until he had come across an abandoned nest and he'd devoured the eggs. The sun had just risen over the treetops and Draco had settled down to rest when he felt panic flooding him. The overwhelming feeling had him running into the deeper parts of the forest and he could feel the scratches of the holly and thorns as his body began to change and shift without his control.

The shift back to a body he hadn't occupied in four months had made him stumble and fall to his knees, naked and bleeding from the multiple scratches he had obtained. The gash he had received when he had been a wolf three days prior had reopened on his upper arm and there was dirt in the wound. Draco raised his hand and stared in amazement as he flexed his fingers. Draco could feel her mind against his, like a hand touching his face. Her ever-changing emotions and their intensity shocked him. She was more settled within his head now and began sending positive feelings through their bond, helping to slow his heartbeat. Draco pushed himself up slowly, enjoying the burn in his two legs as he rose steadily. The embarrassment at being naked had faded quickly as he blinked slowly.

He felt confused and delirious as he attempted to guess what month and day it was. He didn't even know if Voldemort had been defeated but he knew he had to get to Grimmauld Place and explain everything to Hermione.

"Granger," he said, his vocal chords protesting as he did. Hermione's mental presence diminished to a background noise and he knew she was no longer inside, hearing and feeling just like he was. His stomach knotted with anticipation and he began running wobbily towards the small village that bordered the park.

By the time the midday sun was in the sky, Draco had stolen some clothes from a washing line and eating a proper meal, offered to him by one of the villagers. The man had turned out to be a squib and had answered each of Draco's hasty questions, allowing the young wizard to over indulge as he reaquainted himself with the real world. An hour later, Draco was pleased to find the outcome of the war and that there was rumor that Hogwarts would be allowing the previous seventh years to return to redo their final year and gain the proper qualifications. Draco thanked the man and used his Floo network to travel to his mother's.

Narcissa had not been home but Draco hadn't panicked, knowing she would be safe with her sister. The wizard showered and changed into his own clothes, retrieving his wand from his mother's possession and began to set off for the grueling journey to London and the Order's headquarters.

Hermione emotions, stronger than they had ever been before made the wizard push himself further as the day's sunset came and went. The exhaustion of the day's events made the journey seem twice as long but before he knew it, Draco was stood in front of Grimmauld Place, leaning against a lamppost in order to catch his breath. Draco could smell another canine creature and he could taste it's hostility in the air. Looking up at the house, Draco noticed the large black dog guarding the front steps, it's coat a parallel to his usually pale fur. Draco laughed once before he fell to his knees. His injuries had began to bleed again, Hermione's emotions were draining him and the day's exhaustion had taken it's toll. Before he passed out Draco heard his name being called and his head being gently pulled into someone's small lap.

"I need to see her. I need to explain," he whispered before his eyelids closed and he had to be carried into the house.


	8. The Dog

Author's note: the first chapter in which Dramione are together face to face! It's a long chapter, god I spoil you ;) I hope you enjoy, please R&R!

* * *

"He's always been stubborn. He shouldn't have made it here in so little time," Narcissa scolded to her unconscious son who was lying prone on the kitchen table which had been hastily cleared and cushioning charms had been cast. The witch was stood by his head, her fingers subconsciously skimming through his long hair, a scowl on her face.

Hermione had ran past the growling dog who was guarding the front door but halted to a stop at the bottom of the stone steps. Her breath came out in thick clouds in front of her face but she couldn't bear to move an inch. Pansy had followed the girl and pushed past her, limping quickly to scoop Draco's head into her lap. The next ten minutes had blurred into one and Hermione found herself still speechless but gingerly holding his hand as she watched Daphne work. The blonde had diagnosed the wizard with exhaustion and healed his cuts simply with a wave of her wand. After Molly had bustled about the house for a vial of Pepper Up potion and it had been slipped down Draco's throat, the majority made quiet excuses and disappeared out of the door.

"He should wake in a few moments," assured Daphne as she joined Theo, linking their fingers as she bit her lip. The worry on everyone's faces was evident but Hermione was transfixed, staring at a man she believed was her mate. Draco's long eyelashes began to flutter and her heart seized, missing a few beats as his grey eyes finally opened. The two stared at each other, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"Just to let everyone know, Sirius is still outside barking," informed Ron as he stood next to Pansy, an uneasy expression on his face, pointing to the front door. Harry and Fred shared a look before going to investigate the source of Sirius' mood.

* * *

That morning, Sirius had escorted Remus out of the room, knowing that the past few months had been hard on the man as he tried to keep his werewolf in check around another male's mate. Remus had packed a small bag and left through the Floo for the Tonks' residence, seeking quiet refuge from the chaos he knew would come in the near future.

Sirius' mood had plummeted after his friend had left. He knew it was wrong but he had been glad that Harry hadn't heard from Draco in so long. The fate of being tied to a werewolf for the rest of someone's life was a commitment that could kill a person, and Sirius felt for Hermione like he would a daughter. The pair had a teasing but affectionate relationship and Sirius knew that he would stand in front of a curse for Hermione, just like he would for Harry.

When the Marauders were in their fifth year, a girl in Hufflepuff had found that she was the mate to a forty year old man she had never met. The girl had been one of Sirius' rotating 'friends' and she had sobbed into his unwilling arms after a romp in the Hufflepuff dorms. The night she had met him for the first time, he had raped and marked her, claiming her his in the eye's of the law. The man had pulled her out of Hogwarts soon after and Sirius never heard from her personally again. He had kept her name in mind for the following years. The day he had read about her suicide in a small corner of the Prophet he had retched over the toilet and cried.

Not only was Sirius worrying himself half to death over Hermione's fate, but a letter from Shacklebolt made him panic even more.

 _Padfoot,_

 _Their Hogwarts letters should arrive promptly after mine._

 _I will drop by sometime soon,_

 _Best,_

 _Shacklebolt._

Ten cream letters, all sealed with ruby red wax and the Hogwarts' crest, were in his hand, heavy with the power of them. Sirius ran a thumb over the corners of the thick paper of the envelope, his mind reeling at the thought of the youngest Order members' returning to redo their final year. Nine invitations that were thick with the necessary letters and one thinner letter, addressed to him. Sirius knew the matter, Minerva had already asked him in person, but it still made him sweat slightly.

The afternoon had slipped by quickly without him knowing and he could hear the bustle of the rest of the house settling down to eat as he blinked his dry eyes. The small gas lamp beside his bed, a relic of a past era, had been flicked on by Kreacher, but his master had stayed still, his head buried in his hands for at least another hour. Within him, he felt the disturbance of the wards and somebody lurking on the edge of the property. Being the eldest surviving member of the House of Black, the charms placed on the house had automatically passed onto him. The man crossed to the tall windows, peeling the heavy curtain back to let the moonlight wash over him.

In the darkness of the street, Sirius could just make out movement, but his attention was soon captured by a pale figure, leaning up against one of the street lamps, his clothes ill fitting and rumpled as he fell to the cobbles. Sirius bolted from the room, allowing himself to transform as he ran down the stairs, barking at the front door which swung open for him. Sirius' bark had alerted Ron who in turn let the rest of the group know.

After the boy had been carried in and Hermione had been shuffled in after him, Sirius was joined by Harry and Fred. He continued to growl as they attempted to talk to him. Sirius knew he wasn't the greatest at duels but he had a powerful bite so he remained canine, attempting to keep Harry behind him. The movement stilled and he felt the intruder pass through the wards.

"Sirius, what's going on?" Harry had pulled out his wand, illuminating the street more so he could see.

Fred echoed the statement and action, pushing the younger boy behind him slightly. Sirius had stopped growling and his canine eyes could see that there was no longer any immediate danger, but the fact that someone had been able to slip through the wards had disturbed him. Sirius had full control over them and the only one who could pass through without his permission were those with Black blood running through their veins. Allowing himself to change back, he stood and looked solemnly out over the street.

"Merlin, I hate it when you do that," laughed Harry as he jumped back from his Godfather. His sudden change in attitude had not gone unnoticed though by the Weasley boy.

"Who was out there?" he asked, his voice low, conscious of the rest of the house.

"I don't know, they shouldn't be able to get through the wards." Sirius had a scowled on his face as he turned and entered the house. The painting began to screech and it took all of his willpower not to hex it into smithereens.

"Sirius!" called Harry as he locked the front door. Fred had gone to help secure the thick curtain that hung in front of the screaming Mrs Black. Ron had joined his brother and Sirius and the house returned to its normal quiet state.

"What the bloody hell was that?" came the voice of Theo his wand outstretched as he came into view.

"The portrait is charmed, it can't be removed," explained Harry as he tried to catch his Godfather's eye. Sirius knew the boy wanted to know but his own lack of knowledge made him wonder. He needed to talk to Narcissa before anyone else knew of any so called danger.

"Your Hogwarts letters arrived. They're upstairs, I'll go get them shall I," and he turned and scampered up the stairs, cowardly removing himself from the situation. The boys looked at each other, shrugged before going on their way.

* * *

"Granger," he whispered. Narcissa watched her only son, unshed tears misting her sight. The wizard had dark circles under his eyes which were bloodshot but he started up at the girl with such adoration and affection that Narcissa felt she should look away.

Molly had shuffled the majority out of the kitchen, allowing only Daphne, Theo and Harry to stay. Theo had not left Daphne's side since he had woken up and the blonde witch could tell he was upset over something. He was clenching his jaw which was resting on the top of her head, driving her slowly insane.

Harry meanwhile had shuffled to stand near Hermione, his hand hovering over her shoulder. Draco growled as the boy who lived gripped his mate's shoulder. Draco's eyebrows rose in confusion and he fought Daphne's hands to sit up.

"You can touch her?" he asked, pulling the Gryffindor closer to him, forcing Harry's hand to drop.

"Mal- Draco, he's always been able to touch me. He's the only one who can. Oh for Merlin's sake, stop growling!" she snapped, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the smirk on Harry's face. "Stop provoking him."

"Sorry Mione," Harry chuckled, completely at ease as Draco's eyes flashed lupine gold.

"Knock it off all three of you or someone will come snooping," chastised Daphne as she pulled the reluctant Theo closer. The man was shielding his wife from his childhood friend, unease evident in his eyes.

Draco looked comically between the quietly bickering Gryffindors and the couple. He cocked his head, a behaviour he was used to in his other body.

"What's wrong Theo?" He asked, his deep voice calm and collected. The volume was returning and it interrupted Hermione's rant.

They all looked at the Slytherin confused as he avoided everyone's eye.

"ImarriedDaphafewmonthsafteryouleftandIamsorryforthewholeshitshowitsturningouttobe," he breathed quickly.

Draco's stare hardened as he comprehended what he had caught. Harry and Hermione were left to piece together the sentence as nobody repeated it.

"You're married?" he whispered, his eyes transitioning back into their usual steel. The couple nodded, sheepish as they remembered Draco didn't know. Hermione could feel his sadness leaking through their bond and without thinking, she linked their fingers together.

"Why is that such a problem?" questioned Harry as he pushed his frames up the bridge of his nose once more.

"We were engaged before I joined the Order."

Hermione pulled her hand away quickly, recoiling from the dark jealousy that had suddenly taken over. She blinked and apparated, the physical jolt that went through the the blondes made Harry think that it was punishment enough.

"Explain," he commanded, climbing onto the bench with a sigh.

* * *

"I am going to tell you a story of our childhoods. The childhoods of pure bloods whose parents were on the wrong side."

"My parents hadn't married for love. Theirs was a marriage of convenience, to keep a family fortune within the familiar blood. They were cousins and had been engaged since they were only a few months old and married as soon as my mother turned sixteen. The pressures of the Old ways, the darker, more twisted ways of my Grandparents meant that Astoria and I were engaged to be married by the time we could talk. For Astoria, it was a second-cousin of ours who lives in France and for myself, it was Draco.

"The honour of being the mother to the next Malfoy heir meant that out betrothal was sealed through blood magic, or at least it was supposed to be. My mother was nothing at all like a pureblood wife should have been, and neither was Narcissa. Their is an ancient belief that every soul is tied to another, just like Draco's wolf recognises Hermione as his mate. My Grandmother passed the forbidden spells onto my mother who had cast them in secret. High society would base all marriages on the outcome of the spells hundred of years ago, but it was outlawed and frowned upon just as my mother was born. The spell is very advanced and usually the matriarch of the family casts it upon a newborn. My mother cast the spell when I was three, a few months after the engagement had been decided, and a thin golden chain had wrapped around my little finger which she couldn't break. The spell creates a chain, visible for only a few days, that connects to the soul's desired mate. Theo and I didn't meet in person until we were nine, by which time the blood bond had been created over the marriage and our betrothal was well known. That's why my mother is dead.

My parents saw the chain break and smash into a thousand pieces of light when Theo kissed my hand a few months before I joined the Order. My father was furious that my soul had been allowed to seek its mate so early on in life, much like Draco's wolf has done. The termination of a blood contract is painful for both recipients and I thought I was going to pass out from the pain; my blood felt as though it was on fire and I was going to burst into flames before it could have been over. I begged Astoria to kill me so many times. My nerves had been singed and I had a temperature for weeks after. Nobody told the Malfoy's that the contract was being broken, so Draco went through the agony presumably with no idea what was happening. I was so scared and when I woke up, dazed and confused, my Mother was on her knees at the foot of my bed. She was crying hysterically and she ripped her necklace off with bloodied hands. I was so stunned, I don't think I said anything, I just allowed her to clasp it around my neck. My father stormed in and dragged her off the bed and body-binded me, making sure I could see as he tortured my mother and performed the darkest and most horrible spells a wizard could. I couldn't scream, I couldn't cry, I was retching but I _couldn't_ move. I was forced to watch my mother die because she wanted me to find my soulmate and marry for love." Daphne was crying, the tears rolling down her flushed cheeks as she stared at Harry.

The young wizard felt awkward and useless, knowing he couldn't resolve any of Daphne's past. It hurt him that even though the war was over, people were still being haunted by problems that had occurred during the troubled times. Harry cleared his throat and looked back at the three Slytherins.

Draco was consoling Daphne who was near hysterics with the grief of relived memories, and Theo was apologising for not telling Draco of their union sooner.

"It's fine, really mate, it-" Draco cut himself off, his iris' sliding into the metallic gold Harry had come to associate with danger.

"What?" He asked, grabbing Draco by the shoulders. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's... happy. Really happy," Draco's voice was off but the massive grin on his face made Harry uneasy.

"Happy?"

"Yeah, it's gonna knock me out it's that strong,"

"What's she so happy about. She stormed off a minute ago,"

"That was because she was jealous and then she was angry at herself for the jealousy. Then she remembered that _I_ could feel it too and she got embarrassed," laughed Draco, the leaking emotion evident on his face.

Harry looked between the three then bolted upstairs, conscious that the Mothers were in one of the reception rooms. He tiptoed his way past and then shot up the stairs, climbing until could see the rest of the house crowded around Sirius.

The Slytherins had followed, Draco slower than the rest, and George passed a bundle of letters to Harry. The wizard looked through them and then smiled to himself. He passed the Hogwarts letters back to their recipients and shoved his in his pocket, more concerned about Hermione's feelings that reading the notes inside.

"Harry!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. Behind them both Draco and a Slytherin were glaring at the interaction. "We're going back! We're going back to Hogwarts!"


	9. The Return

Author's Note: HOGWARTS! Please R&R and enjoy :) P.S: The rating had been changed from T to M (MASSIVE CHAPTER FOR YOU ALL I LOVE YOU)

* * *

Minerva McGonagall was pacing her sizable study in her private rooms at Hogwarts. She continued to glance at the large brass clock face that sat above her desk, counting down the minutes till she would be needed at Grimmauld Place. She had personally sent the Order's invitations to return for another year at Hogwarts just under a month ago and that morning, August 31st, she was going to apparate them to the school a day early and introduce them to their new shared dorm.

Apprehension and worry were all she could feel as she continued to think over the group. The returning students, now called 8th Years, consisted of the 'Saviour of the Wizarding World' Harry Potter and his best friend Ron Weasley. The two boys had already secured Quidditch positions that would begin the following september, but for now they had returned to Hogwarts to complete their qualifications, as specified by their respective teams. Blaise Zabini, a gifted Transfiguration student would be starting an apprenticeship under her and the thought made her smile. Along with Blaise, Daphne and Theodore Nott had also agreed to complete their formal education, meaning that the couple would be housed within their own separate room although Minerva shuddered to think that the young couple, barely nineteen, could soon be having children. The elderly Witch had kept her correspondences with both Molly and Narcissa and knew that Pansy Parkinson, a brilliant charms student, and Ginny Weasley, the new captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, had become firm friends over the past month and she dreaded to see their reign of the school.

Shacklebolt had dropped by a few times, ensuring that everyone was alright and things were running smoothly. In his most recent letter he expressed concern for the werewolf within Draco and his chosen mate, the source of her main worries. Hermione Granger had agreed to be a prefect once more, a poor substitute to the Head Girl status she she have received. Throughout Hermione's school career, Minerva had kept a close eye on the Muggleborn witch, helping her succeed in her academics and blossom into the young woman she had become. Minerva could recall every moment of interaction between Hermione and Draco easily. The two had been gravitating towards each other since they were eleven years old, and a ratty, well-worn moleskine diary had every detail of their relationship, written from Minerva's point of view.

Every unusual thing they said, or their physical stances when they were around each other in her classes had been documented and once Minerva received an owl informing her of Draco's arrival, the Witch had sent the diary to Hermione, knowing she would be taking to the change in her fate quite hard. The stubborn brunette had always been in charge of herself, and she liked being able to decide what to do with her life, so finding out that she was tied to Draco had knocked her back.

Minerva looked once more at the clock and nodded once to herself. She took a deep breath and tickled the half-Kneazle that was sat upon her desk.

"She will be home tonight Crookshanks, don't you worry." The cat was left in the empty study, the echos of apparition the only thing in the air.

* * *

Ginny, Pansy and Hermione had settled quite quickly into living in the attic. Pansy had moved into the spare bed and Daphne had moved into one of the guests rooms on a lower floor with Theo. The four girls were getting on well; Pansy and Ginny had created a solid friendship whilst Hermione had struggled to come to terms with her fate. Daphne acted like the glue between them when something became frosty.

"Mione, he's fine. You knew him before the war-"

"You fancied him before the war,"

"Ginny!"

"Listen to me Hermione," ordered Pansy as the four girls were laying in the dark, avoiding sleep by gossiping about Draco, _again._ "He's kind of know for years but you didn't. He certainly didn't realise it was you for a long time."

"Do you remember that winter he thought it was Harry because he spent so much time around Mione," giggled Daphne from her old bed. The girl's had decided to celebrate their last night at Grimmauld Place by having a sleepover.

Pansy laughed in agreement before Hermione spoke. "I liked him because I could. Now I have to like him."

"Oh please," said Ginny. "You have always like him. Why is it that as soon as you two can finally have a proper relationship it becomes difficult?"

The Slytherins made noises of agreement. Hermione and Draco had slipped easily back into their friendship, but as soon as someone mentioned the bond or mates, both would freeze up and remove themselves from the situation individually. It was annoying the three girls that the couple were tiptoeing around each other and the obvious feelings they shared.

Hermione was glad that it was dark because she could feel her face flushing.

Over the course of the month, both Pansy and Draco had recovered from their injuries, Blaise had began to flirt horrendously with Ginny and Hermione had avoided being alone in a room with Draco. The latter had not gone unnoticed by the girls.

"Mione, why do you never spend any time alone with him?" came a quiet voice.

Hermione sighed. After some experimentation, the two had found that the bond didn't leak just emotions, but also the affects of alcohol and pleasure. Draco had had a night with the boys and the next morning Hermione was sick with the same hangover.

"It's embarrassing," Hermione moaned into her hands. "You'll make fun of me or you'll tell the boys."

The other three girls squealed, finally closer to finding out why. They rushed from their beds to Hermione's, all piling on around the Gryffindor. They pleaded and swore until Hermione cracked.

"Fine, fine. I cannot control myself and it's embarrassing when his mother is around us," she confessed quickly. Before anyone else could ask she continued, finding it hard to stop the outpouring once it had started. "Two weeks ago, after the alcohol incident we were talking about the bond over lunch. That night Draco, he..." Hermione stopped herself, thinking of the correct way to word it. Pansy was prodding the Witch, anxious to know what had happened.

"In the middle of the night I woke up and I was on the verge of, oh Merlin this is so embarrassing," she groaned. Ginny gasped, knowing exactly what her friend was talking about.

"Bloody hell, I didn't dream it," she exclaimed jumping up slightly. Ginny, whose bed was closest to Hermione's, had been woken up in the middle of the night by the girl's moaning. The witch had been writhing and groaning on her bed and Ginny worried she had been hurt. It wasn't until she groaned her own name that Ginny halted.

"He was doing it wasn't he," she accused and Hermione nodded in the dim light.

"Doing what?"

"Wanking. He was wanking in his room and Hermione was up here about to orgasm," whispered Ginny, relieving Hermione of the embarrassment. Pansy & Daphne's eyes were wide & their mouths were open.

"Did you tell him?"

"Merlin Pans, I swear you will sleep through anything. I take it you didn't hear him come up here?" asked the redhead.

"He did! To do what?"

"He knew as soon as he...finished that I had also... He apologised & Ginny had basically tackled him out of the room. As soon as I saw him I wanted to jump him."

Daphne was chewing on her lips, deep in thought.

"I asked Sirius if he had any books about Lycanthropy & he referred me to Narcissa. There was a chapter about mate marking. As soon as the souls of the mates recognise and accept their fate, the sexual magnetism between the two people increases until the mate is marked," she explained.

Hermione begged to see the book & Daphne stood up, searching for her wand in her rumpled duvet.

"How does a mate get marked?" wondered Pansy as she watch Daphne summon the book from downstairs. A thick tome came sailing through the air & into the witch's outstretched hand. Daphne flicked through the pages until she found the one she was looking for.

"The marking of a mate is an intimate & consensual act which takes place during the consultation of their sexual relationship. The convientent way in which most Wolves mark their mate is through a simple bite to the shoulder or chest region. Depending on the preference & profession of the mate, some Wolves have been known to mark the upper thighs, spine or buttocks regions instead. Usually all that remains from the mate marking is a scar & a few werewolf traits; preferring red meat and mood swings during the run up to the full moon."

"I guess that's why you're finding it hard to keep away from him," guessed Ginny as Daphne handed the book over to Hermione. The brunette had lit her bedside lamp was already engrossed in the pages.

The other three girls looked at each forge before climbing off Hermione's bed & onto their own, aware that the sleepover had come to an end.

* * *

"Listen, I know you have questions and things but did you have to follow me into the bathroom Potter?" smirked Draco's reflection in the fogged up mirror as he looked over his shoulder at Harry, his muggle razor dripping in mid-air.

Harry had been pacing around in front of the guest bathroom, listening for the plug to be pulled out of the bath. Harry ducked out of the way as Draco came out of the room in a cloud of steam wrapped in a borrowed towel as he made his way to his room for his toiletries. The Boy-Who-Lived had pushed his way into the room after the Slytherin had returned with a small leather toiletry bag.

Harry scoffed at him as he locked the door, making sure that they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Shut up you git. What happened last week?" The dark haired boy perched himself on the edge of the claw foot bath, picking up one of the cosmetic potion bottles and looking at the label with faked interest.

Draco returned to the mundane task of shaving, enjoying the fact he was still in his human body. "Lots of things happened last week Potter, be more specific." Draco lifted his chin, gliding the razor over his throat.

"Last Thursday night, come on, you know what I am talking about. Ginny had to rugby tackle you in the middle of the night Draco," Harry explained, proddinging the blonde wizard with the loofa that was in his hand.

Draco sighed. He knew what Harry was referring to and since their rooms were next door to each other, the Slytherin had first hand experience at how thin the ancient walls were.

Blaise had been out cold, fast asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and Draco had forgone a silencing charm, feeling his urgency and allowing it to take over. The moon was four days past full and Draco threw himself onto his bed, his thoughts occupied by Hermione as soon as he was laying down. The small alarm clock on his bedside table told him it was three in the morning and Draco doubted anyone would be awake so he slipped out of his pyjama bottoms once he was under his duvet. Glancing once at his roommate to ensure he was asleep, Draco stroked himself, picturing Hermione clearly.

They had been together all day, their fingers brushing occasionally, making the brunette squeak at the contact. Draco knew she felt the same shock as he did when their skin touched, and he could feel her desire leaking through the bond. He had caught her staring at him, her thoughts dirty and loud in his head. Narcissa had given him a book that covered Lycanthropy in detail when he was fourteen and Draco knew all about mate marking and how it would happen.

He felt guilty that he dreamt about marking Hermione most nights, fantasising about the mark he would leave on her for all to see. The pair had discussed the emotional side of the bond but Draco had avoided the physical side. He had always felt drawn to Hermione but since he had returned to the Order, his physical attraction towards the witch was making daily life difficult. The wizard's baths were always cold and he had taken to thinking about Mr and Mrs Weasley in bed when he found himself too excited around Hermione.

Draco was panting quiety, gripping himself tighter as he let his mind wander. He thought he could feel Hermione's emotions reflecting his own, matching the pleasure despite the fact she would be asleep. He was biting his lip to keep himself from groaning out loud as he imagined the witch on her knees in front of him, or his hands gripping her soft flesh. Just as he was nearing his orgasm Draco felt a jolt of pleasure run down his spine, so sudden that he shouted out into the dark room. His animalistic instincts were taking over and his hand doubled its pace, pulling at his member with force as the foreign pleasure increased the fast he went. Hermione's name and multiple expletives were pouring from his lips as he realised the pleasurable feelings _were_ Hermione's.

His irises were a deep gold and before Draco could think his actions through, he found himself pulling his pyjama bottoms on once more and exiting his bedroom to race up the staircase to the top floor. He pushed the girls' bedroom door open, his eyes' adjusting quickly to the dark room. Hermione's long legs and décolletage were exposed, making his mouth water slightly as he heard her delicate moans. The tent in his trousers was making him angsty and he knew he was overstepping a boundary, but his Werewolf could smell her arousal from across the room propelling him forwards without thought.

Ginny had lunged at Draco before Harry had finally made it up the stairs after being woken by Draco. The two were rolling around on the small landing before the Girls' room. Draco was growling and attempting to push the redhead off of him whilst she clung to him, effectively pinning the taller wizard to the floor.

"Bloody hell!"

"Get off me you devil."

"Harry go wake up Hermione for me," grumbled Ginny as she accidently kneed Draco in the crotch, snapping him out of his animalistic daze. The blonde groaned as he tried to roll up into a ball. Ginny began apologising profusely

Harry meanwhile had stumbled over clothes that had been strewn about the room and shook Hermione awake. Harry was blushing madly as he heard Hermione moan before she woke. She was panting heavily and Harry pieced together what had happened. He shot up, a disgusted look on his face. Hermione blinked a few times before falling back to sleep, unaware that anybody had witnessed her react to Draco's second-hand pleasure.

Harry, Ginny and Draco had avoided talking about it and neither of them had informed Hermione or the rest of the teens of the incident, only telling them that the bond was more than just emotions.

"Draco I am being serious. Theo told me about mate marking," sighed Harry as he watched Draco finish shaving. The blonde's irises flashed momentarily and he let out a shaky breath before reaching for a hand towel.

"What do you want me to say Potter? I'm in love with her? I want to fuck her? I want to bend her ov-" Draco said, his teeth grinding and he gripped the porceline sink, his knuckles turning white as he cut himself off.

The two wizards faced each other.

"So you do love her then?"

"Don't be thick. Of course I do," Draco wiped the excess shaving cream off, turning back to the mirror and his reflection once more.

"And this mate marking thing," began Harry warily. "It's gonna get worse the longer you put it off."

The blonde nodded sharply to Harry's reflection then went back to gathering his belongings.

"If it doesn't happen soon I am going to go insane," he confessed quietly. Harry nodded, slightly uncomfortable talking about Hermione's sex life.

"Theo told me about, Merlin what was it... pheromones. Something about pheromones," Harry said as he followed Draco out of the bathroom and into the Slytherins' room. Draco busied himself with getting changed whilst Harry snooped around his few personal belongning.

"The nosy bastard," Draco swore as he slipped on a white shirt, knowing McGonagall would be dropping by that afternoon to escourt them to Hogwarts. "Merlin's beard, fine. The Wolf has recognised Hermione as my mate since we were eleven and since I returned from that shit show mission, the Wolf has responded to her more because _she_ had come to terms with the decision and is reciprocating the feelings. Basically my Wolf wants to mark Hermione and have cubs. Merlin that sounds disgusting."

Harry murmured a word of agreement, his attention preoccupied by a little velvet box that was sat on one of the dressers. He checked to make sure Draco wasn't looking before he pulled the lid off, revealing an elegant sapphire ring nestled within black silk.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, slamming the lid closed.

"Potter!" grimaced Draco, crossing the rooma and swiping the box up. "My mother is insisting I propose before I attempt to mark her but that were the pheromones become a bitch."

Harry heard Sirius shout from downstairs, calling for the students' trunks.

"What do you mean?" he asked, stepping out of the way of Blaise's floating trunk as it allowed itself to be summoned.

"I talked to Theo and we reckon Hermione had a week at the most to allow the mark before my Wolf's pheromones begin to slowly charge her body with sexual energy or some bullshit. She can either sleep with me in the next week or she will be so horny she'll end up jumping me. There were a few cases of student Lycanthropy, only two to have occurred at Hogwarts, and one of them ended up shagging their mate in the middle of a feast, surrounded by the entire school."

Harry paled slightly, an unfortunate image of Hermione and Draco having sex a top of the Gryffindor table burning on the forefront of his mind.

"Merlin, you have to seduce her."

Draco's eyes brows rose and the trunk he was levitating down to Sirius dropped a few inches out the air, nearly crushing Harry's toes. "You want me to have sex with her?" he smirked.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "no, I want her to chose but she's stubborn and one week is not enough without you helping her."

"Boys!" called Mrs Weasley signalling the end to their conversation.

"We'll talk later," said Harry as he left to receive his trunk.

"Highly unlikely but whatever," came the reply as the blonde continued to move his trunk.

* * *

At four o'clock Professor McGonagall arrived in the designated apparition point in Grimmauld Place and was enveloped in a hug as soon as the room stopped spinning.

"Professor," beamed Hermione as she wrapped her arms around the elderly witch. Minerva smiled down at the girl, placing a comforting hand on her cheek.

"Hermione, my sweet child. It is nice to see you again. Did you receive my journal?" she replied, wrapping an arm around the girl and leading her into the kitchen.

Hermione nodded, her curls bouncing as she told the teacher of her own studies.

"The mate marking is the equivalent to marriage in the eyes of the Ministry and I can feel the physical pull to consummate already," she confessed, her voice dropping in volume as they passed the Twins in the hallway.

"Hermione Granger, I will not lie to you. You are being childish, foolish and a lot of other things," asserted McGonagall, pulling the girl to a stop and into one of the reception rooms. She closed the door quietly and turned to her favourite student. "You have been half in love with that boy for as long as you've known each other. Stop pussyfooting around girl. This is your chance at true love and happiness and you are delaying your soul's true fate because you are scared," she said with a finality to her voice that made Hermione see reason.

The young girl nodded as a smile broke on her face. The girl laughed loudly and when she opened her eyes they were gold with mirth. "Professor I think I am in love with Draco Malfoy." The Gryffindor's laughter was infectious and soon Minerva was smiling with her.

"You are and you are waiting for nothing. Be happy Hermione. Be happy and selfish for once."

* * *

The side along apparition to Hogwarts took twenty minutes for the all of the students to travel one by one from Grimmauld Place to the school's main corridor.

Their trunks had already been sent on their way to the communal dorm they would be sharing with the returning 8th years. Ginny had been given special permission to reside in the dorm instead of Gryffindor Tower and she had linked arms with Pansy as they waited for Theo, the final person to be apparated to the corridor.

"It's weird being back," murmured Pansy as the two girls survey what they could see of the rebuilt castle. The Great Hall was the same as it always had been, the late summer afternoon shining through the enchanted ceiling. Ginny nodded in agreement just as McGonagall and Theo arrived.

"Listen please," called McGonagall to the small group. "The returning 8th years will have their own tower, the entrance to which is on the sixth floor behind the Founder's tapestry. If you would follow me I will show you the passageways to get there in the shortest time."

The group followed the Headmistress each in conversation with someone. Ginny and Pansy lead the way, their arms still linked as they climbed the stone steps of a spiral staircase in one of the secret passageways. Blaise, Ron and Harry were arguing loudly about the Quidditch league behind them. The two couples followed behind, Daphne and Theo discussing something unimportant whilst Draco tried to explain Hermione's sudden need to eat bloody meat.

On the sixth corridor, situated at the east end, hung a large golden tapestry that depicted the four founders and their animal counterparts. McGonagall gave the password to Helga Hufflepuff and then drew the material back, revealing a small wooden door.

Inside, the common room was spacial, nearly as big as Gryffindor Tower's. There were large oak tables and multiple sofas and armchairs spread about the open space, with a large five seater sofa and two squishy-looking armchairs crowded around a lit fireplace. Picturesque windows were dotted around the stone walls which had bookshelves and picture frame built in. The bright colour scheme was welcoming as the group filed in behind the Headmistress. A large stone staircase that began near the front door wrapped itself around the circular wall and the ornately designed wrought iron banister shadows were dancing on the white carpet

"The staircase wraps around the entire tower all the way to the top dorms. There will be fourteen in this dorm; you nine, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ernie Macmillan, Parvati Patil and Hannah Abbott. The rooms are spaced along the staircase and each occupant's name is carved onto the door. They are all single room apart from Mr and Mrs Nott and Hermione and Draco's room. There are en-suits to every room. Dinner will be served at seven tonight so please don't be late. Enjoy."

"Wait did she say we were sharing a room?"


	10. The Night Before (Part 1)

AN: omg! 50 favs and 140 followers eeik! I love and appreciate every single favourite, follow and hit to this little story. Like I said it is my first published one so things are pretty new to me. I would like to thanks those (Chester99 and Crimson Sanguine to name a few) who review for the majority of the chapters. This chapter will focus heavily on the nine and their group dynamic so I hope this clears up any confusion for anybody. Please R&R and enjoy as always :)

* * *

Theo was looking around the common room intensely, his fingers still linked with those of his wife, whose cornflower eyes were bright and wide as she looked at her surroundings. The room had a faint Chudley Cannons theme as everything was on the orange and red colour spectrum. The chairs, all mismatched and worn, were muted orange in a range of fabrics. The heavy curtains were patchworked, made of various clothes, flags and pillows, simply stitched together to form long drapes. Daphne could see the obvious outline of a pair of corduroy trousers that had been attached to a faded cloak.

"Theo it's brilliant," she gushed, dragging him to the stone steps, eager to see the rest. The tall wizard followed obediently, allowing himself to be pulled up the spiraling staircase. She was beaming at how homely the room looked, knowing it was nothing like her childhood manor.

Daphne lead the way, climbing the steps slowly so that she could trace the names that were carved into the doors they passed every two metres or so as the wide staircase hugged the exposed stone walls of the tower. Small windows of varying shapes were dotted between the doors and Daphne audibly gasped when she saw the first of what turned out to be a pair of window seats that overlooked the Black Lake. The ancient glass gave the late afternoon a hazy light and Theo could see the shafts of sunlight illuminating the dust around the numerous cushions placed on the wide window sill.

His wife went to sit down but Theo was anxious to get to their room so he pushed her up the steps with an encouraging smile. The first door they had passed belonged to Pansy which was closely followed by Ginny's, Blaise's, Ron's, Neville's, Harry's, Parvati's, Luna's, Hannah's and then Ernie's. The final two rooms were situated at the top of the tower and Theo's stomach flopped when he looked down over the banister towards the common room. The others had slowly dispersed to find their own rooms apart from Hermione, Draco and Harry who were draped across the sofa, deep in conversation.

The penultimate room near the top of the tower belonged to Theo and Daphne and the witch couldn't help herself as she traced their names on the oak. She was beaming at the title of _'Mr and Mrs Nott'._ Theo unlatched the door and it swung open to reveal a nicely sized room with a four poster king sized bed. Theo would be forever astounded at the power of magic as he knew that the room was on the outside of the tower yet it couldn't be seen from the grounds or the numerous windows.

The room, with it's polished, bare floorboards and fur rug wasn't the largest room either of the couple had called their own, but it's cozy quality and en suite suited the two just fine.

"I love it!" beamed Daphne as she poked her head in the white marble en suite. "It looks like something out of Witch Weekly. Oh Theo look," she called, her melodic voice echoing throughout the tiled bathroom.

Theo pushed himself up from the comfy bed he had sprawled on and crossed the room to find his wife sat in a large sunken tub. She was grinning as he looked around. There were his and her sinks and a tall mirror that hung above the counter reflecting Daphne as she lay back in the empty tub, a seductive smile on her face.

Theo's mind began to race as he watched her stretch out. The tub was too big for one and looked spacious enough for the both of the to bathe without even touching.

"It looks like the one in the prefect's bathroom," he remarked counting sixteen brass taps on their smaller version, each engraved with different scents and temperatures.

"We've got a two hours before dinner," smirked Daphne as she knelt up, keeping eye contact with her husband as she peeled her simple cotton summer dress off over her head. Theo followed her lead, practically ripping his Holyhead Harpies t-shirt in his haste to undress.

Daphne threw her head back and laughed as Theo hopped out of his slacks, his eagerness evident as she fiddled with the taps.

"You're still wearing too much Daph," he murmured, now naked as he climbed down into the tub, hissing at the heat of the water that was cascading over his feet.

The wizard kneeled as he reached out for Daphne, trailing soft kisses down her shoulder blade and he fiddled with her bra strap. The blonde's head dropped back onto his chest, moaning slightly as her husband toyed with her wet underwear. The water was up to their navels now, the couple still semi kneeling as they explored each other for a few moments more.

"Then do something about it Husband," she purred in response, a challenge Theo took seriously. The couple made good use of the bath and the counter over the next few hours, reveling in their own private space as they made love over and over.

* * *

"Come on Pans, I wanna see the rooms," said Ginny as she began to climb the stone stairs. Pansy had gravitated towards the windows, looking out over the grounds of the place she considered her home.

The two girls were excited to find that they were simply a few steps away from each other and Pansy was relieved to find she was the first door knowing that later on in the term she would find the task of ascending the stairs a hassle. The girls had checked out Pansy's room first which was carpeted in a plush grey and had an enchanted star ceiling, much like the Great Hall.

"Has McGonagall used legilimens when redesigning these rooms?" she wondered aloud as she placed a hand over the tall mahogany dresser which had a large gold framed mirror resting upon it. The witch could find no fault with the rooms decor and wondered if the room changed design depending on the occupant's preference. When they went to Ginny's, Pansy's final theory proved correct when the lamp on Ginny's bedside table changed form as soon as the redhead stepped into the room, as if her mind had changed.

"It's like the room of requirement," said Ginny, glancing around. The witches looked at each other and then simultaneously launched themselves at Ginny's four poster bed, dissolving into laughter as they bounced on impact.

"What are you two laughing at?" came the voice of Ron from the open door way, Blaise walked past him, on his way to his own room. Pansy sat up, proving herself on her elbow as she looked the the wizard.

The Slytherin draped an arm over Ginny's hips, her fingers splayed wide on the younger girl's thigh. "Just talking about what I'm going to do to your little sister tonight once everyone's gone to bed," winked the witch as Ginny laughed into her hands. Ron's eyebrows shot up into his hairline as Blaise jogged back down the staircase after hearing Pansy, and pushed his way into the room.

"Need a third member to the party," he wiggled his eyebrows as he stalked his way towards the bed. The two girls were crying with laughter, gripping at each other in an attempt to calm down. Ron was still at the doorway, his face turning a dark shade of scarlet which set the two friends off again.

"Oh lay off it Zabini," giggled Ginny as she gasped for air. The dark skinned wizard simply grinned and grabbed the girls by the ankles, dragging them off the large bed onto the carpeted floor.

"You can either accept that a threesome is in your future or I will have to spend my year persuading you and failing my classes in attempt to bed you both," he teased, hyper aware of Ron spluttering in the doorway as he stood over the girls.

"Oh Merlin Blaise, that's disgusting," sassed Pansy as she gently kicked him out of the way. "You're not the wizard for me."

"Who could possibly beat the great Blaise Zabini when it come to looks and charm and my clever wit?" pouted the wizard as he lunged for the slender witch who had stood up, her hands on her hips defiantly. Uncharacteristically, the Slytherin witch squealed and she ran to Ron, using the broad wizard as a human shield.

"He lives in the dorm and he so muscle-y. Oh Merlin Blaise he make me all hot and bothered," she whispered into the blushing redhead's ear, smirking as she enjoyed the spluttering coming from the redheads.

"Weasley!" Cried Blaise, as he placed his hand over his chest comically. "Oh Pansy my love, you wound me. I will be avenged," he bellowed, laughing in good nature as he sunk to his knees, pretending to have been stabbed.

"I would help you Zabini but I am a woman whose heart is spoken for," chuckled Ginny as she stood up, catching the eye of Pansy who was still wrapped around Ron.

Her brother either already knew about Ginny's supposedly secret relationship or he was too busy comprehending Pansy's declaration.

"Merlin girls, you really know how to kick a man when he is down," Blaise by this point was lying on the floor, his arms and legs dominating the small space. "I will just have to try my hand with the Patil girl."

"Good luck, she's in a very committed relationship with Lavender Brown," giggled Ginny.

"Then Abbott will have to swoon at the Zabini charm,"

"If you can steal her from Neville then sure,"

"Merlin, it will have to be me and Ernie Macmillan then," Blaise was faux-sobbing by this point, reducing the trio to tears once more.

"Luna Lovegood is in this dorm. You could get to know her. She's lovely," suggested Ginny as she grabbed one the wizard's hands and attempted to pull him towards the door.

"Merlin it's going to be a year of grafting with younger years again," he cried as Ginny gave up and went to her bathroom to run a bath, leaving Pansy and Ron to slink off through the door. "Am I destined to be forever alone?"

"Oh stop being so dramatic Blaise!"

"Ginevra you hag, I am in pain," came the wailing response. Ginny had to give credits to the man who could keep the act up, laughing at the Slytherin's cheerful antics..

"You'll be in real pain if you don't shut up soon."

* * *

Harry and Hermione thanked the professor's retreating back as Draco exclaimed.

"Sharing a room!" he cried once more, his eyebrows furrowing as he thought of where that would take him. "I can hardly control myself over dinner let alone if we were sharing a bed."

Hermione nodded slightly, taking a seat on the sofa and bringing her knees up to her chest, deep in thought. Draco's eyes followed the curvature of her chest as she breathed, the tops of her breasts exposed in her tank top. The Muggle jean shorts she was wearing emphasised her long legs and Draco had to take a seat himself so as not to embarrass himself in front of The Boy Who Lived.

"Maybe it's for the best," suggested Harry, knowing that the pair were going to tiptoe around. "I mean, we've all read that book. You know what's going to happen eventually. What are you waiting for?" he said frustrated that the pair needed to be pushed to talk openly about it.

"Harry, it's not a simple as marking and then going about our lives," sighed Hermione. The brunette was fiddling with a lone curl that had escaped her high ponytail. "Did you read past that chapter?" she inquired to which Harry shook his head. "Once a werewolf and their mate have consummated the relationship and the mate has accepted the mark, every full moon, the need to reproduce will become all encompassing. There is no escaping it."

"Oh," accepted Harry as he sunk into one of the armchairs. "But we all know this isn't something you're fighting. You both care deeply for each other and it's obvious. If it's any help, you do know you both have the support and blessing of all of us. I want you to be happy Mione, and this is your soul's way of pointing you towards that happiness. Stop fighting it."

Draco by this point was reclining fully, breathing deeply with a hand over his eyes. The wizard looked in pain and Harry asked if he was okay.

"Just... let's leave the topic of sex till we're alone, eh Granger," he grumbled, his voice lower than usual. The effects of the second verbal conformation she had had in a day, and Draco's voice was instantaneous on the Gryffindor who jumped from her seat. Her iris' were gold and Harry could taste her magic in the air, leaving a metallic, numb taste to his tongue. He fought to keep the smile off of his face, knowing that his words had helped Hermione fully accept what was happening to her.

"Draco I am going to check out the room," she declared, her voice wavering. The young witch held a hand out to Draco who clasped it without opening his eyes. "Thank you Harry."

"No problem," he replied, stretching his long legs out over the sofa, a hand waving lazily at the retreating couple. The smug wizard lay back, not fussed with seeing his room. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to slip into a dreamless sleep in front of the fire at Hogwarts.

* * *

"Hermione, this is a little fast don't you think?" he questioned, struggling to control his dirty thoughts. The blonde wizard followed the brunette obediently as she lead them to their room. His right hand was still in her grip but his left was a tight fist as he fought himself to not grab the witch by the waist.

"Just shut up," she growled quietly, practically running up the final few steps.

The couple stopped in front of their door, the situation finally dawning upon them.

"Can you hear that?" asked Draco as he cocked his head. The faint sound of a feminine moan made Hermione blush.

"The dorms aren't soundproof. We need to tell everyone to cast silencing charms," she babbled and Draco didn't need the bond to know how wound up she was. The witch was bobbing as he reached past her and unlatched the door. Her eyes widened as she looked at the simple decor. A grand headboard took up the majority of the back wall which was framed by two thin windows, each depicting a courtly love scene. The grey colour scheme was accented with silver and Hermione was in awe of the elegant aesthetic. She gravitated to the writing desk that was situated in front of the floor to ceiling window. The curved wooden ceiling with it's exposed beams made the girl itch to begin studying at the desk, overlooking the grounds once the snow began to fall, knowing that she was safe and warm up in the tower.

"Granger," hesitated Draco who was hovering near the king sized bed. The Wolf was tearing him apart from inside, desperate to touch and kiss the girl but he remained with his back to her, nostrils flared as he breathed deeply.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as she turned on her heel, a blush settled across her cheeks. He heard her clear her throat as she slowly walked to stand next to him. He could feel her apprehension trickle through the bond and mingle with his own.

"We need to talk about this," he warned quietly as she placed a small hand on his bicep, using it as leverage as she spun him around to face her. Draco's line of sight stayed above her head, his chin resting on top of her curls as she shook her head.

"Draco, look at me," she whispered, a hand resting on his cheek in persuasion. She gingerly pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw, the only part of his skin she could reach without having to be on her tiptoes. "It is alright. We're going to be alright," she soothed as he lowered his chin to look her in the eyes.

"If we carry on any further I won't be able to stop myself," his voice was distant as his Wolf took over. He was practically salivating at the sight of Hermione's golden eyes and flushed complexion. She was staring at his lips, her own plump and glossy as she licked them.

"I don't want you to stop," she whispered as he wrapped his forearms around her small waist, picking her up and burying his face in her neck.

Draco could feel Hermione's desire and he knew that this was it. He walked backwards until the back of his knees came in contact with the tall mattress. Hermione couldn't touch the floor whilst Draco had her lifted and when he lay back she followed, landing on his chest.


	11. The Night Before (Part 2)

Authors note: PART TWO! Very sexy so if you are under 18 or just want to skip it, please do (or don't I don't mind) Please R&R and enjoy!

* * *

He lay prone on his back as she straddled his torso. He brushed his nose against hers and saw her irises shift into the molten gold he had come to recognise. He pressed his mouth to hers, tasting her excitement as she willingly swiped her tongue over his lip. The wolf inside took over and he reached up, sliding along her arms and capturing the nape of her neck.

Their bond intensified as Hermione moaned quietly into his mouth, battling his tongue for dominance. She arched towards him, pushing her chest into his as she ground down on him instinctively. He gathered her in his arms and she grasped at his shoulders, feeling his muscles under his t-shirt, developed from his time in the woods.

His hand slid down over the front of her neck and trailed down her collarbone and to the seam of her top, fiddling with it until she broke the kiss to rip the garment over her head. He began to laugh at her impatience but he was soon cut off as she crashed their lips together once more.

It felt good to hold her - to give in to the desire he had harboured for years and to finally kiss her. He knew she wasn't going to pull away and they wouldn't be interrupted in their room so he savoured and overindulged at the feeling of her soft lips and wandering hands.

The witch felt free and alive as Draco's fingers began to dance across her burning skin. She was breathing hard, whimpering as his lips nibbled around the shell of her ear and down her neck. Her hands moved in tandem, one tugging at his belt, the other in his golden hair, fastening him to her chest. He pressed his mouth to her throat, feeling her swallow under his tongue and her breath catch.

She felt his lips continue their journey south, outlining her collarbones and to her breasts as he rolled them over, slotting himself between her thighs. His fingers were barely grazing her sides but she was painfully aroused at the foreplay he was teasing her with.

His touch rendered her virtually mindless as their bond manifested and intensified. She could feel his affection pouring through and she knew then that she was in love. She was in love with Draco Malfoy and in response to the revelation, she ripped his t shirt over his head, wrapping her legs around his waist.

He rested his weight on one of his forearm, using the other to shape the fullness of her breast. He heard her intake of breath and felt her quietly whisper a spell which rid her of her underwear. The handy spell exposed her breasts to his eager hand and mouth, both of which began to give keen attention to her nipples. Hermione dragged her fingernails down his back when he bit her her hardened nub gently. Her hips were gyrating against his, searching for some friction to help her. She could feel his rigid arousal pressing against her and she moaned.

"Granger, I can't take this back," he tensed, pushing himself up so he could look her in the eye. Her small fingers had succeeded in freeing him from his trousers which she was pushing down his thighs with her feet. She growled as he stopped his ministrations, his hand leaving her breast. She reached up and cupped his face, a look of understanding coming over her.

"I'm in love with you," she confessed. He surged forward, thrusting into her clothed heat with a primitive snarl. She gasped, her eyes rolling as pleasured sailed through her. "Draco," she cried. "I want you. Please...mark me."

He ripped her knickers off of her after she begged him. He said one word- her name, as she whispered the removal spell once more, rendering them naked and flushed. She felt herself blazing, her skin on fire as his fingertips grazed down the valley of her breasts, around her navel and lower. She arched into his chest, her nipples hard against his pectorals as he pressed the pad of his thumb to her clit. He was grinning as she moaned loudly into his ear.

She had no thoughts of stopping him as he dipped on oh his fingers into her. He tensed, straining with the effort to control himself and the wolf inside of him. He knew not to rush her.

"Draco," she whined slowly as he stretched her walls with his fingers. His lips returned to hers as he felt her desire drip onto the duvet beneath them. Her fingers were grasping at the sheet, her knuckles white as she teetered close to the edge. Draco abruptly pulled her fingers out, licking them clean as she cursed him. He laughed quietly, enjoying the way her emotions were clouding his brain.

"I need you Draco." Her tone left no margin of doubt. He could hear, see and feel how much she meant it. He gulped once and nodded, knowing that once he was embedded within her, his self control would no doubt falter.

"I don't know if it will hurt. No one knows if the marking actually hurts," he rambled. He hissed when her small hand wrapped around his arousal, guiding him to her soaking entrance. Hermione's breath came in pants as he slowly pushed forward, kissing her hard as he entered her to the hilt. Draco stilled, knowing that he was a little larger than the average man and she had tensed in his arms.

His pleasure built as she gasped, their minds connecting through the bond. The pleasure they shared doubled as he pulled out, only to push back in. Arched back and parted lips, Hermione was all Draco could see, hear, taste and feel. She flooded his senses until his wolf burst to the forefront of his being. His hips pistoned quickly, picking up speed as she moaned and wreathed, gasping and groaning as he began to hit the right places within her.

He could feel her pleasure building until she was just on the edge. He stopped, still buried balls deep as he knelt up and twisted her onto her stomach.

"On your hands and knees," he ordered, his voice distant as his animal instincts overtook him. "I won't mark you were others can see."

She followed his instructions eagerly, pushing herself back onto his desire with a gasp.

"I'm in love with you Granger," he whispered into her hair, one hand gripping her waist and the other finding her swinging breast.

His pace doubled and he let his head drop forward, his sweaty fringe brushing over her shoulder blades as they called out for each other as they worked towards their shared goal. He felt himself shift slightly from his normal human features into a more canine one. The usual pain of a transformation was muted as Hermione's pleasure flooded his brain, she was gasping as he thrusted deep into her. His jaw had elongated into a slight muzzle and he let his nose trail up her spine, soaking in her groans. He felt her internal walls tense as she met his thrusts with her own. He knew she was close and he waited until she was on the edge before he sunk his teeth into her right shoulder blade, pushing her over the edge, her orgasm crashing over her. She twitched as she shouted, an action followed by Draco who came just after his mate, a howl echoing around the tower.

The couple collapsed, Draco still buried within Hermione as he pulled the grey throw over them to ward of the slight chill to the room.

"I'm in love with you too," she murmured as he wrapped her in his embrace. "I have always been in love with you."

He kissed the pink mark that was exposed to him and they both shivered at the jolt of pleasure that ran down their spines. Exhausted from their actions, Hermione soon fell asleep, safe within his arms in their room at Hogwarts.


	12. The Couples

author's note: hello, I know it's been a while but hopefully the amount posted will increase over the next week or so. First day of school will be in the next chapter so remember to fav/follow to be notified of when I post. Please R&R and enjoy! (mainly from Harry's POV for those who love him as much as i)

* * *

The Boy Who Lived had settled himself on one of the two large sofas and had allowed his body to sink into the squashy velvet cushions underneath him. Harry had his arms folded under his head and knew he was only moments away from falling asleep once again. The wizard had dozed off for around forty minutes when a loud moan woke him. He had smothered his laughter behind his hand, knowing that the Professors had not thought the living arrangements through enough.

The tower had retreated back to its comfortable silence after that incident and Harry had allowed himself to once again relax in front of the fire, knowing there was nothing he needed to be doing urgently. With his eyes closed, the black haired boy listened intently to his surroundings and the castle, basking in the crackle of the logs and the laughter of a Weasley that was drifting down the stone steps.

"We're only going for a walk right," questioned Ron from somewhere behind the sofas. Harry's eyebrows rose but he quickly schooled himself and pretended to be asleep, knowing this was something that wouldn't happen in front of him whilst he was conscious.

"Salazar's sake, for a Gryffindor you sure are jumpy," teased Pansy and Harry could tell she was grinning at his best friend. "It's only a walk if you want it to be Weasley," she laughed quietly and Harry could see the small Slytherin strutting towards the Common Room's opening, her hips swaying as she looked over her shoulder to the man who had his hands over his face. Ron had stood completely still at the bottom of the steps as he mumbled to himself.

Harry watched out of half closed eyes as Ron looked at the girl who had a hand open to him from across the room, a sultry smirk on her cherry red lips. She tucked a strand of her inky black hair behind her ear and Harry could tell the movement was carefully structured when she ran her fingertips down the column of her long neck, the pads of her fingers coming to rest on her exposed collarbone.

"Bugger it," breathe Ron as he crossed the common room, past Harry without a glance at his friend, and to grip the girl's wrist practically dragging her through the the exit. Her laughter echoed through the corridor and the common room as the couple left the tower.

"You enjoy watching people hook up Potter?" called a voice from the stairs.

"Shut up," he retaliated, settling himself back into the cushions.

As soon as his head hit the pillow he heard the quiet whisper of a spell hit him. His eyes felt like they were covered but when he went to check, he found that he couldn't move his hands from behind his head. All he had to rely on was his sense of smell and hearing. He could hear the soft sound of naked feet hitting the flagstone floor as the assailant came closer to him.

"You really think this is wise?" he probed, testing the spell as he shifted his torso. He could feel his simple T shirt ride up and the heat of the fire was now being felt on his lower navel.

"I hardly doubt attacking the Boy Who Lived is a crime on my part, but please, correct me if I am wrong Mr Potter." The voice was next to his head which made the wizard jump slightly, unaware of how they got so close. A delicate finger traced the outline of his right eyebrow, down his face, throat and chest, coming to a halt above his Muggle belt buckle. He swallowed as she climbed over him, straddling the prone man as he grinned.

"It's hardly a fair fight if I am bound though, is it?" he hissed as she rolled her hips, making him groan.

"So I can be tied up and it's all right, hardly fair is it?" she mimicked, leaning down to brush a kiss over his slightly stubbled jaw. He was recalling the incident when she bit down on his earlobe suddenly.

"Ginny," he choked as she laughed above him. The girl had vanished the blindfold but he was still motionless underneath her thighs. "Anybody could see," he warned as she let her fingers wander over his chest.

She sat back on her heels, resting herself on his jean clad thighs. Her eyebrow was raised in thought as she considered her options. "Fine, tomorrow after your last class we can go over play strategies on the Quidditch Pitch with Madame Hooch _,"_ she decided, reverting back to their old excuse to slip away for a few hours without anyone being suspicious. She climbed off her boyfriend but dropped a cheeky kiss to his lips as she went to stand.

As soon as she was in front of the fire, her auburn locks hypnotising her secret boyfriend, Blaise had descended to the common room, throwing himself into one of the armchairs. "Quidditch strategies huh?" Ginny remained expressionless as Harry blushed. "I thought you might go and visit Fleur and Bill, or was that only a Grimmauld Place excuse," he joked, proving his legs up on the arm of his chair.

"Sod off Zabini," scoffed Ginny, knowing the Italian wizard was of no threat to them. The boy had known about their relationship since its fledgling months nearly a year ago. The Slytherin, already a good friend of Ginny's had sworn to secrecy and she knew he would never betray that trust.

"Gin..." hesitated Harry as his bound hands remained above him. The redhead looked at the man and chuckled, realising she had left his shirt up near his armpits, exposing his chest to the wizard sat opposite them.

"You know Potter, I'm greedy and I'm sure your girlfriend wouldn't mind sharing you for a night or two," he chimed in a Ginny laughed at her boyfriend's expression. Harry was very much a one-lover wizard and even though Blaise's offer might have been accepted a year ago, the thought of sharing his Witch with another had him seeing red.

* * *

The rest of the evening went by without a hitch and the trio remained behind in the Common Room playing wizarding chess and exploding snap. The lone howl that echoed around the tower around was met by uneasy eyes but they ignored the obvious and continued playing until a silvery wisp of a tabby cat came sauntering through the wall making Blaise drop his pawn and Harry won the final game.

"Five minute warning for dinner," came the voice of the Headmistress as the tabby climbed the stairs in search of the two couples. "Theodore Nott!" cried the Scottish witch when her patronus melted through the couple's door. Daphne's screeched alerter Hermione and Draco who tumbled out of their room, hands intertwined, both looking thoroughly shagged.

Hermione giggled as she watched a semi-naked Theo scamper out of his room, his wife following quickly wrapped in their duvet. The pair shrieked with laughter as they were chased down the stairs by the patronus, the Headmistress' disgusted voice shouting at them through the cat.

The four made it to the common room, Theo pulling on his shirt and wrapped his arms around his wife, ensuring that she was covered from the rest of their dorm mates. Daphne had a healthy glow as she grinned at the cat which disappeared, the scowl of Minerva McGonagall on it's face.

The husband and wife made no gesture that they had registered the sudden change in the Wolf and his Mate. They acted as if it was usual for the couple to be wrapped up in each other's arms. Hermione transfigured the duvet into a simple dress which wrapped itself around Daphne's slight frame with ease. The blonde smiled in gratitude towards her friend.

"I guess we should go to dinner then," insisted Blaise as he lead the way to the exit, all but pushing the three couples into the hall. The seven friends made their way through the castle, chatting to each other as Hermione questioned Pansy and Ron's disappearance once they reached the final staircase.

Harry and Ginny shared a look as they stepped off the staircase before somebody interrupted the group. Pansy was leant against the large doors of the Great Hall, her robes parted as she propped herself up.

Her sudden arrival in front of them made Hermione's eyebrows crease. She could see Ron already sat inside the Hall, seated at a single round table across from McGonagall, his plate already loaded with food as he answered her polite chat.

Hermione filed her questions away for later on in the night and allowed herself to be pulled towards the table, taking a seat next to the Headmistress and her Wolf. He grinned at her as she prised her fingers out of his grasp, attempting to keep the Professor out of the loop as she maintained eye contact with the elder witch.

"So how was the afternoon, I hope you found something to entertain yourselves with," the elder witch's voice was dripping with sarcasm as she glared at a smirking Theo. Harry, Draco and Ron were silently chuckling behind their hands but that was soon halted when she turned her glare on them. "Don't think your afternoon activities have gone unnoticed. Mr Weasley I believe Professor Sprout is in need of an assistant over the next few days. I think I saw you loitering around their earlier." Ron's ears turned scarlet as he sunk down in his chair slightly.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, I think that we need to discuss the policies of the dorm tomorrow after lessons," she chided, sipping on her elf-wine with a wicked glint in her eyes. Ginny applied pressure to her boyfriend's foot, her seemingly composed expression was a guise for her anger.

"Actually Professor, I believe Potter is already engaged with Madame Hooch tomorrow," added Blaise as he continued to spoon peas onto his plate.

"I didn't know Madame Hooch was not going to return from her world cruise for you Mr Potter, how kind of her. I cannot believe she is cutting her three year trip short, she has been droning on about it for nearly a decade now."

The combined laughter covered Harry's spluttering as he choked on a parsnip as the Headmistress suppressed her smile. She loved the beginning of term.

* * *

After consuming half of his body weight in food, Ron had an arm thrown over his sister's shoulder, the elf-wine messing with his sense of balance. The redheads were chuckling at some inside sibling joke as they skipped ahead of the rest of the group. Pansy and Daphne were bringing up the rear of the friends, having built up a tolerance to the alcohol as they had been raised on the drink. The alcoholic effects had no impact on Draco but Hermione's wandering fingers had made him love drunk as he trailed behind after her. Harry, Theo and Blaise were arm in arm chanting loudly and tunelessly. The Slytherins, who were both slightly smaller than the Boy Who Lived, had an arm around his shoulders and the trio continued to croon as they zig-zagged their way down the corridor.

"You have dirt on you left knee," said Daphne gently into her friend's ear.

Pansy threw a look to the rest of the group and then looked at Daphne with a slight smile. Her expression remained impassive as she focused on her strides. "The greenhouses are doing well this term," she replied simply, a smirk on her face when Daphne pinched her side.

"It looks like everyone is all coupled up," continued Daphne as they followed the group up the stairs. The pair had to cast numerous spells to ensure that Theo wouldn't fall from the bannister he was walking on, using Harry's hair as a vice.

"Ginevra is yet to find someone," remarked Pansy. "I'm sure she would appreciate us helping her find someone."

The devilish smile the women shared conveyed the fact that they knew all about the secret romance. "I think we should help, it would only be fair," agreed Daphne as she linked her arm with Pansy's. "I think we should help over the feast tomorrow."


	13. The Downfall of Emotions

Pansy and Daphne had helped push everyone towards the right rooms. Blaise had been scooped up from the corridor and had been levitated back to the Tower and Pansy had _accidently_ bumped the wizard against his doorframe but he had been out cold. Hermione and Draco had been guided to their room, as had Harry and Ginny but not without a supposed hangover potion had been given to the pair.

The two witches nodded to each other before they retired for bed, sleeping in late until Hermione had sent a patronus around to rouse everyone The next morning.

"What's going on?" yawned Daphne into her hand as she descended the stairs to join the rest of the group. Hermione had her hair pulled up into a loose bun and Draco's fingers were trailing along the back of her neck, twirling an escaped curl around his pointer finger. Hermione was dressed in her school robes and was either ignoring Draco or couldn't feel his light touch.

"Well it's already midday and the train should arrive around five so I thought we could enjoy having the castle to ourselves for a few hours," justified Hermione as Blaise revealed that Ron had already been with Professor Sprout since nine. A giggle went round the small group.

"Speaking of Weasleys, where's Red and Potter?" questioned Draco from behind Hermione. Pansy raised one perfect eyebrow as the group smirked among themselves. The supposedly secret couple had been rumbled by everyone, but they hadn't put two and two together.

"I think we might have given them the wrong potion last night," confessed the Slytherin innocently as she inspected her manicured nails. She knew they're wouldn't be any faults, her cosmetic spell work was faultless.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I gave everyone hangover potions but it was quite dark so I might have slipped them something else," replied Daphne as she watched her husband poke at the embers in the fireplace. He was preoccupied with something but Daphne had yet to find out what was troubling him.

"What potion Daph?" pressed Hermione. The two girls shared a look before they heard Ginny swear from above them.

The redhead was nose to chest with the Boy Who Lived and the pair were struggling to remain balanced on the stone steps. "Bloody hell Gin, we're on stairs for Merlin's sake!" he cried as she nearly bowled him over the banister as she flew up the few steps to collide with him. The girl had no control as she was practically dragged by an invisible force.

"That wasn't me," she argued, pushing against his chest but found that she couldn't move more than a metre away from him.

"Are you having trouble?" called Blaise as he watched the pair flail as they attempted to part.

"Ah, it must have been my fusing potion," said Daphne as Harry simply gripped Ginny's wrist and pulled her down into the common room.

"What the hell happened?" questioned Ginny. The couple realised that they could move freely as long as there was skin to skin contact. If the connection was broken, Ginny would collide with Harry's chest, the magnetic pull making her flew across the room which was met with laughter.

"I might have accidentally administered the wrong potion," informed Pansy with a simple smile on her face. Ginny's eyebrows rose as she stared at the girls. She momentarily forgot her predicament and lunged for Pansy only to freeze in mid air and then collide with Harry once more. The force knocked the man off of his feet and they went tumbling over the arm of the sofa, landing in a heap.

"Wrong potion," she echoed sitting up and untangling herself from the boy. She watched as Harry released her wrist so he could sit up too, only for her entire arm to slam into his gut, winding him. The couple looked at one another before Harry nodded and they reached for each other's fingers once more.

"Is is permenant," asked Hermione from her seat. She knew that Ginny had been seeing someone since the start of the year but had never pushed the younger witch into telling her the identity of her mystery lover, but Hermione realised that he had been stood in front of her the entire time. "How long will it last?"

"Salazar's sake Mione, of course it's not permanent. I should wear off by the feast tonight," clarified Daphne as Ron trudged his way into the room.

"Bloody witch had me repotting shouting sprouts. I am exhausted," he muttered, bypassing his friends and heading straight for his room. Harry watched the dirt covered wizard disappear into his room without even looking at him.

"He's going to kill me. He is going to realise we're together and I am going to die," he whispered into Ginny's ear, hardly moving his lips at all. Conversation resumed in the common room with Pansy and Blaise debating what to do that afternoon. Draco had gone rigid behind Hermione and the brunette could feel his shock emanating through her.

"Let's head down to the Lake, it's still warm enough to sunbathe," she suggested, eager to move everyone out of the small common room so she could talk to him without raising suspicion.

"Great idea Granger," agreed Blaise and his approval set the rest of the group in motion. Pansy followed the Italian out of the room, smirking as Ginny resided to pulling Harry behind her. Daphne and Theo were already in conversation once more so Hermione hung back.

"What's wrong?" she asked, turning in Draco's embrace to face him.

"Potters shagging Red," he replied dumbfounded. "Potter's got Red."

Hermione laughed and pressed a soft kiss to his lips which Draco tried to deepen.

"I don't know why you're so surprised, they've been mad about each other for years," she pulled back, leading him towards the exit.

"But it's Potter," he bleated. The brunette simply giggled as they made it out to the hall and the tapestry swung back into place. The couple followed their friends oblivious to the door that had opened upstairs.

* * *

The summer sun remained high in the cloudless sky above Hogwarts as the friends laughed and lounged about. Blaise transfigured a few blades of grass into various blankets and pillows, which were scattered about on the bank of the Lake and Daphne sent the boys to go to the kitchens and gather some afternoon snacks.

"I'm sweating buckets over here," said Ginny as she pulled her sticky shirt off. The wolf whistles and cat calls were met with a grin as she stood up, her foot still touching Harry's ankle. "Animals, the lot of you!"

"What are you doing Gin?" laughed Daphne. The blonde was lying on the small wooden jetty, her toes dipping in the clear water.

"Anybody else fancy a swim?" replied the Redhead as she shimmied out of a pair of borrowed jean shorts. Harry sat up, staring at his secret girlfriend with his mouth open slightly. His girlfriend winked at him and then sprinted down the jetty and jumped over Daphne and into the crystal clear Lake. Harry was dragged by the potion and shot into the water, skimming along the wooden planks of the jetty and knocking Daphne into the water as he fell in.

Pansy was crying with laughter as she watched the three surface, a myriad of expressions on each of their faces. Ginny was whooping and grinning broadly as Harry spluttered, his glasses hanging precariously off one of his ears. Daphne, on the other hand, was scowling as she treaded water in her summer dress. The white material clung to her body and the effect had Theo throwing himself into the water.

"Theo you're such a dog," called Pansy as he swam to his wife and grabbed her. Blaise was halfway undressed, his shirt discarded with the rest of his clothes as he scooped up Pansy. She shrieked and swore as he ran off the jetty, throwing himself and the cursing girl into the cool water.

"Why do you have to be naked?" she growled when they broke the surface. She pushed his head under the water as the rest of the group laughed at his expense.

"Mione, Draco, come on the water's lovely," called Ginny as threw her care to the wind and wrapped her arms around Harry's shoulders.

"Do we have to be naked too," chuckled Hermione as she sat up, shielding her eyes from the sun.

Blaise had swum away from the angry Slytherin and was floating on the surface. "A treat for you all I am sure," he replied with a laugh.

"Careful mate or the Squid will get you," warned Harry as he swam closer to the bank. The weight of his wet clothes and of Ginny on his back were tiring the wizard.

"Come on you two," taunted Pansy from the water. Draco had already removed his shirt earlier in the afternoon, the summer sun warming him through. He looked across the blankets to his mate who was sat up, debating the idea.

Draco sighed as he stood up, holding a hand out to the witch who looked up surprised. "Come on Granger, let's give them a show," he smirked, helping her up and out of her t shirt. Theo was splashed by his wife as he stare at the Gryffindor. She was blushing as Draco unbuckled his belt and let his rolled up slacks fall, leaving him in just his boxers. The brunette could feel her pulse raising as she took in the sight of his lean body.

"Gonna swim in jeans Granger," piped up Ginny as she watched Draco maintain eye contact until he dived off the jetty. Hermione shook her head and shimmied out of her jean shorts, the offending splash from Daphne announcing Theo's wandering eye once more.

"Leave it out Theo," warned Draco as he surfaced, his long alone hair slick over his eyes. Hermione didn't jump in like the rest of them, she simply waded in from the bank. All eyes were on her she walked towards Draco. She gracefully began to swim but straight past the blonde. Hermione swam till she could no longer see Hagrid's hut in the distance. She doubt anyone had been as far out as she was now.

"Granger, don't be a psychopath!" called Draco as he swam after her. "There are other things that live here besides a massive squid!"

"My thoughts exactly Mr Malfoy!" echoed the angry voice of the Headmistress. She was on the end of the jetty, her arms crossed as she scowled at the group. Argus Filch was stood just behind her, his cat in his arms as he smiled smugly.

"Swimming in the lake is a punishable offence Headmistress," he reminded her, his voice gleeful as he watched Harry and Ginny climb out and the rest swim back towards the shore.

"Well, Messrs Malfoy and Potter are already in detention," a statement that was met with groans from the boys. "I will see the rest of you after the feast tonight. Honestly, you are the eldest here, you are all practically adults. You have been through the war and whilst I appreciate you are enjoying your last day, swimming in a creature infested lake is not something I would have said you would have done. I am disappointed in you all, acting like children when the time suits you," she tutted as she watched the rest of the friends exit the lake. The Headmistress cast a quick drying charms on the shivering teenagers, shaking her head as Hermione and Draco finally made it back to the jetty.

"And Mister Zabini," called McGonagall as Blaise zipped past her to grab his clothes. The dark skinned wizard froze and turned slowly, a blush on his cheeks as he looked at his teacher. She had one eyebrow raised and her mouth was set in a frown, "three points to Slytherin for the transfiguration work."

"Thank you Professor," he whispered in reply, embarrassed at his state of undress and the unexpected praise.

"But Professor, you should be taking points _off_ of them," whined Filch over her shoulder.

"They are going to be punished at the feast Argus, please don't worry about it," she placated. "Now please head back to the castle, the train is just arriving in Hogsmeade so I suggest getting changed into your robes and then heading down to the Great Hall in half an hour."

* * *

"I am so embarrassed," confessed Ginny as she followed Harry who was leading the way. The couple had managed to changed and dry themselves without trouble and they had all but forgotten about the charm as they held hands walking back up to the castle.

"Surely there is some law McGonagall had just broken seeing Blaise practically nude," tittered Daphne. The husband and wife had helped each other dry off but Theo had cited some herbology work that needed to be done and disappeared to the castle early. Daphne was linking her arms with Hermione as they climbed the steep hill back to the castle.

"It's just a shame that the weather's turning bad," noticed Hermione as the once cloudless sky had turned grey and misted over.

"I think it's just magic," piped up Pansy.

"That's a good point, it's always been raining or foggy on the first day back," agreed Ginny. The group had finally made it back to the castle and were trudging through the silent halls towards the staircases.

The paintings were loud as their occupants chatted and gossiped. When the group passed a large portrait of a wizard in purple robes, Ginny stopped and stared at their surroundings. The group slowed to a stop as the redheaded girl began pulling on Harry's hand desperately. She was looking around wildly as he attempted to calm her.

"What, Ginny...Gin?" he asked, a hand going to her cheek. Hermione looked around finally understanding why the younger girl was so upset. The group had been wandering slightly aimlessly and had ended up near Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"The entrance to the chamber is just over there," she explained softly. "This is the wall Ginny wrote on in second year."

Daphne and Pansy shared a look as the mood of the group fell dramatically. Draco had let go of Hermione's hand and Ginny was struggling to breath properly. Blaise looked about at his friends and the weight of their world hit him hard.

They were barely adults but he was looking at people who had fought and survived a war. Harry had defeated the man who had made him an orphan, Daphne had married her childhood sweetheart at seventeen to ensure that they could not be separated should something had happened to either of them, Hermione could brew dreamless sleep potion sans instructions just so they could get a few hours of nightmare-free sleep.

He couldn't believe that they had been fooling around outside all day. The war had been officially over for nearly fourth months but the repercussions of such a tragedy would remain with them for eternity.

"Come on Gin, let's go back to the dorm," suggested Pansy quietly as she gently pushed the couple in the direction of the staircases once more, avoiding the bathroom completely. Blaise wrapped an arm around Daphne and they followed the trio, all sombre as they retreated to their own thoughts.

"Draco?"

Hermione had missed him as he slipped into the girl's bathroom. She pushed the door open and saw his back to her. His head was hung low as Myrtle hovered near him.

"Oh Draco, I've missed you terribly," she whined, one translucent hand coming out to touch his cheek. He flinched at the cold contact but didn't waft her away. The brunette remained near the door, fearing that she had walked into an intimate conversation she shouldn't have seen. She tried to turn but Draco knew she was listening.

"Why did you let me mark you," his voice cracked and Hermione could hear his exhaustion. He was defeated and the porcelain sink was the only thing holding him up.

Hermione walked towards him to close the gap when he asked her. She stopped short but looked at him in the grimy mirror, his broken reflection making her gut twist in agony.

"What do you mean Draco?" she asked, her voice steady despite her turbulent emotions.

"Why would you let yourself be marked. I am a monster and now you are stuck with me,"

"Draco don't say tha-"

"Why Granger!" he roared, turning and shouting in her startled face. The ghost squeaked and dove for her u-bend. Draco's eyes were golden as he heaved. His self crippling doubt was being magnified by Hermione's own negative emotions.

His outburst scared her and she felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I love you," she replied.

He laughed loudly, a noise which shook Hermione's bones. In that moment she could see the scene; a young girl, a muggleborn, stood crying in front of an angry pure bloods werewolf.

"You even know me anymore Granger."

The stage sense of deja vu made her sick. She had been in this exact situation during the final battle when she had come face to face with Fenrir Greyback as he devoured a Hufflepuff in front of her. The only difference between then and that moment was that she was now bound to the soul of a werewolf. This was inescapable and it was suffocating her.

* * *

Ron has slept for a few hours after he returned to the common room and woke up to the sunlight streaming through his window and into his eyes.

The wizard sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. He felt disorientated as he exited his room and descended the stairs, his eyes half closed as he bumped into a body. The large shoulders of Neville Longbottom halted the redhead and he swore as Neville turned to steady his friend.

"Hullo Ron," greeted Neville with an easy grin. The wizard was a few inches shorter than Ron but his smiling presence made the redhead stand a little bit taller.

"Hi Nev, have I missed the feast?" replied Ron as he accepted the warm handshake from the Gryffindor.

"No," he chuckled, "Professor McGonagall let me floo here early so I could get established in my office before the feast."

"Office?" echoed Ron as the friends continued down the stairs to the sofa.

"Yeah, Professor Sprout had given me an office so I can take on bigger research projects this year. She's training me for a herbology apprenticeship," he grinned and Ron could vaguely recall a conversation he had overheard at Grimmauld Place about apprenticeships.

"Not you too, everyone is going to be too busy being apprentices this year," he complained as they settled themselves down for a game of Wizarding Chess.

"Every eighth year has to begin an apprenticeship Ron," clarified Neville as he aligned his pawns. The redhead looked up from his knight and stared at his friend.

"But me and Harry are already signed to teams. How are we supposed to juggle school work, quidditch _and_ an apprenticeship?"

"You will probably being doing Quidditch as yours," suggested Neville as they settled down to play. The two managed twenty minutes of uninterrupted play before Ginny came flying through the tapestry and up the stairs to her room.

The blur of red was followed by The Boy Who Lived as the force catapulted him through her door.

"Oi!" shouted Ron after his best friend disappeared into his little sister's room.

"Leave it Weasley," warned Pansy as she and Daphne followed the pair. Ron scowled but sat back down once more. Neville gulped as he watched Pansy fold her long legs under her as she settled herself at one of the study tables.

"Have either of you seen Theo yet? Or Draco and Hermione?" worried Daphne as she began drumming her wand over her thighs. Neville's concentration dropped as he watched her abandon the wand in favour of fiddling with the hem of her dress.

"How do you lose a husband?" muttered Ron. He received a small stinging hex from Pansy who didn't even look up from her textbook. "Merlin, what's got everyone's knickers in a twist?"

"Just shut it Weasley,"

"Not what you were saying yesterday," he countered lowly.

Pansy stood from he chair, it's legs making a horrible scraping noise against the flagstone.

"Pans," he began and Neville could only watch as Pansy hexed Ron once more.

"Come on Daph, Theo will be at the feast don't worry," she ignored the wizard who was clutching his swelling face.

"It will be nice rooming with someone who can supply me with the correct plants for my charms work," smiled Pansy to Neville who simply nodded after the girls.

"What the hell was that?" he asked but Ron's face had swelled and his features no longer looked his own. "Never mind, let's go to the hospital wing shall we."

* * *

Minerva sighed as she retired to her office once more. The caretaker had dithered about, complaining about the Eight Years and the witch could feel a migraine working it's way to the front of her skull.

She had greeted Neville Longbottom and sent him on his way to the dorm before she locked her door and summoned her bottle of firewhiskey. The teachers had been arriving on sight and everyone bar the new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher had been accounted for and were mingling about the castle as the train pulled up at the station in the village.

"Professor," came a muffled voice from the other side of her door. Minerva sighed and gulped the last remaining dregs of her liquor before the locked it away once more. The sky outside had turned dark and she could feel the storm in the air, the electricity prickling over her skin.

With a wave of her hand the bolt slid back and the newest professor had one fist raised, ready to knock once more. "Come in," she commanded as she settled herself into her chair once more.

The man looked around the circular room, at all of the artifacts that were dotted around the room and the paintings of past headmasters. Fawkes was perched on the edge of the desk and the Sorting Hat was grumbling from it's shelf.

"Professor I was wondering if you were getting the students or if we were going to let them gather in the hallways," he quipped, keeping his hands to himself as Fawkes called out.

Minerva swore as she checked her pocket watch. The carriages had arrived ten minutes early and now the witch could hear the voices of her students as they congregated in the corridors and doorways on the first floor.

"Come help me get them settled, grab the Hat," she instructed as she swept from the room, her robes billowing behind her.

"Oh thank you Sirius for notifying me," Sirius Black, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher mimicked as he swiped the cloth hat from its shelf and followed the Headmistress. "What would I do without you Sirius," his voice was high and he had put on a Scottish accent as he imitated the witch.

"Black!" she shouted from the bottom of the spiral staircase.

* * *

The sorting of the first years had gone smoothly and the feast had been enjoyed by the students. Harry and Ginny's ankles were touching so they could interact with their friends freely. The afternoon episode had been glossed over but Ginny's red rimmed eyes were noticeable to those who looked closely.

Ron and Neville had returned from Madame Pomfrey and Ron's face was back to normal but the frosty attitude had remained as he ate his food in silence. Hermione was also silent and her eyes were slightly puffy from crying but the most noticeable difference was that she was sat so close to Harry that she was nearly on his lap. The brunette dodged everybody's questions as she picked at her food.

The mood at the Slytherin table was no different. Draco had growled at everyone and was sat alone a few meters up the table. Theo had slipped in the hall just as the sorting began but refused to meet his wife's concerned eye and he sat next to Blaise. The dark skinned wizard had tried to make conversation but nobody had risen to the bait and the friends sat in a silence that was mimicked by Harry.

The rest of the student body whispered about the two friendship groups and Harry had to control himself so that he would turn around and strangle the Ravenclaw girl who was making up blatant lies about Hermione.

"She's sleeping with one of the professor. I heard it's the new DADA professor," the Ravenclaw, a girl called Abigail giggled to her friend.

"No, she's pregnant, that's why she isn't Head Girl," another chimed in.

"She's one of the death eaters whores. Didn't you know she's been Draco Malfoy's plaything for years now," countered Abigail with a wicked grin as the Ravenclaw's turned to look at Draco who was glaring at Hermione.

Harry was about to shout at them but Neville beat them to it. The usually reserved man grabbed Abigail by her upper arms and dragged her over to the Gryffindor table.

"Apologise to her," he ordered, shaking the girl roughly as the rest of the hall watched.

"No, she shouldn't have been allowed back. None of them should have! They killed my sister!" shouted the ravenclaw. "Worthless Death Eaters!"

The collective gasp was heightened when McGonagall stood up. Pansy was faster than the Headmistress thought and she ran and climbed over the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables and launched herself at the girl. Pansy was shouting at Abigail as she pulled on her hair and scratched her face. Neville attempted to pull the two apart but Hermione had stood up, halting Abigail's fight. Pansy was still slapping and scratching at her face.

The brunette simply looked at the younger girl as a pair of tattooed arms went around Pansy's waist and pulled her off the girl. Pansy was crying as she kicked out, frustrated and angry.

"Pansy, calm down," whispered Sirius as he held the Slytherin. The entire hall was deathly silent as McGonagall finally reached the commotion.

"Sanders, detention for the next week and ten points from Ravenclaw," spoke the witch clearly. She dismissed Abigail and turned to the Eighth Years. "Hermione are you alright?" When the brunette nodded once and climbed back into the bench she looked at the Slytherin.

"Miss Parkinson, are _you_ alright?"

Pansy stopped struggling in Sirus' arms as she sniffed. She blinked a few times as she attempted to calm down.

"Good, Professor Black, please could you escort Miss Parkinson back to her dorm," she instructed before McGonagall turned back to the rest of the hall. Casting a sonorous charm, she accepted the hand from Neville and she stood upon one of the benches, looking over at her students.

"I understand that the wounds from the war are still fresh for most, but Hogwarts is a safe place and fighting between houses will not be tolerated. Professor Black is the new DADA teacher and will be tied to the Eighth Years, not a house. The Forbidden Forest remains forbidden and students are encouraged to spend time with their friends in other common rooms. Each house common room is open to the entire student body. Inter house unity is a key theme this year. Please grow and change as people this year. Help each other. Love each other and if myself or any others, be that professors or prefects, catch any fighting, the consequences will be dire. Now please, follow your house prefects and get a good night's rest for classes tomorrow."

The hall erupted into noise once more as the students began to move. "I would like to see all returning Eighth Years in my office right now," finished McGonagall as she cancelled the charm and climbed down from the bench.

"Your office?" asked Harry as he helped up both Hermione and Ginny, their arms linked through his.

"Yes Potter, do you need a map?"


	14. The Problem With Boys

AN: Hello! I know it has been a while but the next chapter is split into a few parts as it is quite hefty! Now you know why it took me so long to write. Please R&R and enjoy :)

* * *

"I'm fine, you can let go of me now," sighed Pansy as she attempted to wriggle out of Sirius' grip.

The wizard released her upper arm but continued to walk, his bisque pace met easily by Pansy. The witch could feel a slight blush settling over her cheeks and she bit her tongue. Glancing out from under her fringe, the Slytherin looked Sirius up and down  
before shaking her head and chastising herself.

He's a teacher, she thought as she followed him through the corridors to a part of the castle she had rarely been in. He's Potter's Godfather, a man, and a professor. Pansy pinched her thigh as she realised she was staring at the man's back as he stopped  
in front of a statue and whispered what she assumed was a password.

"What are you doing?" her voice was higher than usual and Sirius noted the panic in her voice. He smirked to himself as he stepped onto the stone staircase and holding a hand out to the witch. Pansy raise an eyebrow and kept her hands on her hips until  
the steps began to move. She gripped his hand as they rose up a small tower.

"Sirius I swear-" she warned as she realised she had no idea where they were going.

"It's Professor Black now Miss Parkinson," he grinned as she scowled.

"Where are we going?" her voice was quiet now as the steps stopped rising. The sudden stop of motion off balanced the witch and she fell forwards into Sirius' arms. A student, he reminded himself as he helped right her. They were both blushing and avoiding  
each other's eye as they dropped their hands and Sirius cleared his throat.

"Headmistress McGonagall had called for a meeting so I am escorting you to her office," he explained as he pushed open the wooden door to reveal the office of the Headmistress. Pansy's eyes widened comically as she looked around.

"Did it always look like this?" she wondered aloud as she ran a finger over the spines of the tomes that were stacked to her right.

"The portraits are always here, and the desk has been moved closer to the window, but besides that, and the sofa, it's always looked like this," he replied, forcing himself to look at the previous headmasters of the school instead do the student who was  
inspecting every item closely.

"Miss Parkinson?" grumbled a deep voice from above her. Pansy jumped back from the charms book, her hands going behind her back as she looked around.

"Yes?"

A small grey man was sat in his portrait looking down on the girl with interest. "Parkinson," he called once more and Pansy looked up. "Your first name?" he questioned.

"Pansy, sir," she replied as the door opened once more to reveal Professor McGonagall who was followed by the rest of the eighth years.

"Miss Parkinson, Professor Black," she greeted as she swept around the room and settled behind her desk.

The group of students followed her somewhat reluctantly, only Hermione and Harry seemed at ease within the large room.

"Take a seat, the lot of you, somewhere," sighed the Headmistress as she pointed her wand at the fire and flames lept out of the logs.

The tension within the room was high. Draco and Hermione were sat on opposite ends of the room, Draco was leaning against the bookcase as Hermione took a seat on the hearth in front of the fire. Theo and Daphne were also stood apart and Daphne's face  
remained impassive as she brushed past her husband to sit near Hermione. Ron had mimicked Draco and was tucked into one of the small alcoves. Luna Lovegood was stood next to Harry and Ginny as they took a seat on one of the worn armchairs. Parvati  
and Hannah were closest to the door as they looked around at the established group of friends. Ernie payed no attention to the tension and sat next to Blaise on one of the steps leading up to the Headmistress' desk.

"What's going on Minnie?" asked Sirius as she shot him a dark look.

"As you all know, every single returning Eight year are to undertake an apprenticeship," her statement was met with slow nods. "Well, I have your class timetables here and further information on your apprenticeships." As she gestured to a small pile of  
envelopes, they began to float through the air towards their recipient. Hermione and Daphne plucked royal blue packages out of the air, both of them sealed with the golden crest of St Mungo's. Theo and Draco's were black, Blaise and Ernie's were maroon,  
Hannah and Parvati's were buttermilk yellow, Ron, Harry and Ginny's were purple, Luna's was cream, Neville's was a deep green and Pansy's was pink. The envelopes either remained their size or grew into parcels once they were in the hands of their  
owners.

Daphne and Hermione had accepted Healer apprenticeships and their parcels contained numerous books and a golden locket embossed with the crest of the hospital whereas the trio with purple envelopes had been squashed by large boxes containing Quidditch  
supplies and in Ginny's case, a new broom.

"Professor," said Neville warily as he peaked inside his box. "There's a creature in my box."

"I think that must be mine Neville, I have some sort of pot plant," replied Luna as they swapped their boxes.

"Any more problems?" asked McGonagall as she watched Draco and Theo pull out a single leather book and a small phial of clear liquid. Blaise and Ernie's envelopes contained a spell and a feather and she hid her smile as both boys whipped out their wands  
and completed the change, transfiguring the inanimate objects into small white doves.

"Now inside your envelopes are quick overviews of what is to come. The professors or in some cases, outside teachers are going to meet with you three times a week. Everyone except the Healers will be taught at Hogwarts. The new Flying professor is arriving  
tomorrow so those who are enrolled in Quidditch are to start on Tuesday, everyone else, your first class is tomorrow. If I could just see Misters Zabini and Macmillan to inform you of tomorrow, and Messrs Potter and Malfoy, the rest of you can depart  
and I will see you tomorrow," the Headmistress motioned towards the door and it flew open, allowing the students to pour out of her office, an excited chatter echoing as they descended the staircase.

Draco and Harry looked at each other. Harry's eyes followed Ginny as she cautiously walked out of the office, a relieved smile on his face when he felt no pull as she left.

"I will be with you two in a moment," said the Professor as she talked to the two transfiguration students. The pair nodded and Draco crossed the room to settle on the other arm chair, deep in thought.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Fuck off Potter,"

"I'm just saying I am a good listener,"

Draco silenced the man with a hard stare before he sighed into his hands.

"I know you have, er, marked each other," Harry said warily. The blonde stiffened. His head dropped back onto his shoulders and he began to rub his temples.

"Just drop it Potter, it doesn't matter," he replied, his jaw locked as he concentrated on his breathing. Harry could see how worked up the blonde was a he mentally psyched himself up before he continued.

"You think you aren't worthy of her. She's done all of these amazing things, been through so much and she is still a kind, beautiful and powerful witch," he knew it was stupid, to wind up a werewolf, but Harry had never been one to think before he acted.

"Listen Potter-"

"No. I know what you think. You've done all of these terrible things and yet she still loves you. I used so many unforgivable during the war and yet Ginny never faulted. I treated her like shit, I broke her heart so that _he_ wouldn't use he as  
leverage. She told me she loved me today," Harry's voice was barely above a whisper as he confessed. "She told me she loved me and all I could think about was how I don't deserve her. She was possessed by Voldemort, did you know that," he asked, ignoring  
Draco's flinch as he shook his head.

"No, I didn't," his voice cracked slightly.

"She was eleven and she was possessed for the better half of the year. I forget, it's so horrible that I made myself forget and I mentioned having him inside my head before the final battle. We were arguing about her safety. she wanted to go with me hunting  
the horcruxes but I said no. I said he would just use you, get into your head and," Harry's eyes were misting over as he stared at his hands. Draco leant forward as he continued.

"She just stopped. Stopped arguing, stopped screaming, stopped breathing. If I could go back and change one thing in my life, I would take back what I said."

"What did you say?"

"That having him inside your head for even a few minutes is excruciating. Ginny was possessed for months."

Blaise and Ernie had left a while before that, but McGonagall had sat down behind her desk and pretended to mark, leaving the wizards to talk.

"I love her so much it hurts me sometimes. She is so brave and strong and I forget what she had been through because she takes my breath away when she smiles or laughs. I can't concentrate when we play Quidditch together because I am mesmerised by the  
witch she had become. She lost so much of her childhood but she is so kind," a tear slipped down his cheek and Draco shifted uncomfortably as he thought about Hermione.

"When I was thirteen, the Dark Lord had made an example of a Muggle woman in front of us. She looked so much like Hermione that my Mother had to cast a silencing charm on me. He... he tortured her and let the Death Eaters," Draco was shaking slightly  
as he recalled the memory. "They killed her slowly and then the snake ate her after he had sliced her up."

McGonagall had summoned a tea set and quickly crossed her office to sit next to the two boys. She was crying as one of the house elves poured out tea for the trio. Draco was too exhausted to care that he was crying in front of the professor and he sunk  
back into his chair, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

"Listen to me," said Minerva softly. "The two of you are more similar than you know. The witches you love are strong and courageous but they are not stupid. Fate may have played a part in both of your lives, but the two women you speak so highly of face  
the same problems as you. Let them heal you, support you and love you, like they want to. They have chosen to love you, not because of some higher hand."

"I am a monster and now she cannot escape," whispered Draco and Minerva wiped away a tear.

"Draco Malfoy, you listen to me. You are not who your father wanted you to be. You were raised by a witch who knew right from wrong and who helped you be the best you can be. Lycanthropy is who you are, and now who Hermione is. Do not use Lycanthropy  
as an excuse for your insecurities. You are not Fenrir Greyback or your father. You are you, and that is who Hermione is in love with," McGonagall had two hands on either side of his head to ensure that he looked at her.

"And Harry," she sniffled as she grasped at his hand. "Ginevra Weasley is a magnificent witch and you would do well to remember that. Both of the witches are loyal, clever and intelligent. If they didn't want to be with you, they would make it clear."

Minerva glanced at her pocket watch before she jumped up, startling to two boys. "You should have been in your dorm an hour ago. Both of you, off you go!" she shooed them out of her office. "And do not dwell on the past. You both have the chance to control  
your own futures now and the two witches would benefit you both if you looked at them like they look at you. As humans, who make mistakes and falter. Good night boys."

"Goodnight Professor," they chorused as they travelled the staircase down to the corridor. They looked at each other before nodding once, silently agreeing to never talk about their night as they walked back to their dorm, both trapped within their own  
thoughts.

* * *

The walk back to the dorm had been filled with polite questions about everyone's prospective careers and their class schedules. Luna had excused herself and made her way out of the castle towards Hagrid's hut before curfew. Neville had also disappeared  
to his office to check on his project whilst accompanying Hermione to the library. Ernie and Parvati had looked around at the tense group and left to visit friends in younger years in their house common rooms.

Daphne could feel her husband's bad mood from her place at the back of the group. She had not been able to get a word out of him since dinner and she was worrying herself as she thought of the possible reasons.

Once they had made it to the dorm and through the tapestry, she quickly said goodnight to everyone and jogged up the stairs to her room and to her husband. Theo had peeled off his outer robes and shirt and had locked himself in the bathroom. Daphne couldn't  
help the few hot tears that escaped her as she cried quietly on the bed. The blonde collapsed into the duvet and allowed herself to sob into the material. Her overacting mind had jumped to the worse possible conclusions and she found that once she  
started, she couldn't stop.

Theo exited the bathroom and saw her. Her shoulders were shaking as she cried and he stopped in his tracks.

"Daph," he called and she lifted her head slowly, as if it was the most strenuous task.

"Do you have any regrets Theodore?" she hiccuped, unfazed by her smudged makeup and red eyes.

Theo joined her on the bed but she moved out of his reach, repeating the question as she wiped her eyes.

"What are you talking about Daph?" he sighed. He knew he was being unfair, and his behaviour was out of order, but he couldn't stop his all-encompassing black mood from leaking into his voice.

"Do you no longer love me?" she whispered so quietly that Theo almost missed it.

"Do be stupid Daphne, of course I love you,"

"I am not stupid Theodore," she snapped, taking offence to his careless words.

"I didn't mean it like that," he sighed.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Daphne, please,"

"Merlin Theo! I am your wife and yet I feel like I don't know you right now." Her tears were back and Theo gulped slowly.

"I don't want to explain,"

"Well then I will see you tomorrow at breakfast." Her tone was ice cold as she swept out of their bedroom and slammed the door.

Theo had tried to follow her but the abrupt exit stopped him in his tracks. He swore loudly as punched the wood, the pain bringing him back to reality.

"Granger, I need Granger."

* * *

That night nobody slept well. A storm had erupted over the castle and the sheets of rain battering the tower were loud and frightening. Daphne had shared a bed with Pansy and Hermione had roomed with Ginny after she had returned from the library.

Theo and Draco were both in foul moods and by the time the alarms rang through the tower, the rain was still heavy and the girls were already at breakfast. Neville had accompanied the four girls down and had been enclosed within them as they all sat around  
one end of the Gryffindor table. He was trapped between Ginny and Daphne as he buttered his toast in silence, allowing the girls to discuss their roommates.

"He won't tell me anything anymore. The past week or so he had been really off with me," confessed Daphne as she spooned porridge into her bowl. Neville simply passed her the honey pot and continued to dunk his soldiers into his runny egg.

"Has anything triggered it do you think?"

"I don't know, I think he received a letter last week that upset him, but he threw it in the fire back at Grimmauld Place just shortly after reading it."

"A lot of us get horrible letters though. Surely Theo doesn't listen to any of the death threats anymore," prompted Pansy.

"You get death threats!" said Hermione and Ginny simultaneously, horrified at the idea that their friends had been hiding the problem.

"I've told the owls to only deliver letters from people we know, it's helped filter out the crap," replied Pansy. "It must have been from his father," she concluded.

Daphne frowned and her head dropped into Neville's shoulder, defeated as she thought over the idea.

"Draco told me I didn't know him anymore," sighed Hermione, changing the conversation as she poured herself a cup of tea.

Pansy rolled her eyes as Ginny snorted at the brunette across from her. "Merlin Mione, if anyone knows him it's you."

"I'm not so sure," she murmured between sips. "Last night as I was studying I got such a wave of, I don't know, hopelessness from the bond that I began to cry."

Ginny's spoon stopped on its journey back to her bowl as she looked at Hermione. "What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain. I always know what's going on but I've learnt to ignore it. But last night... there was so much emotion I couldn't help myself."

"Why was he so upset?" wondered Neville as the girls nodded in agreement.

"Harry was upset when he got back last night," Ginny noted as she saw him enter the Great Hall. The girls and Neville turned their heads slightly to look at the boys who had just made it down. Draco and Theo were scowling for no apparent reason whereas  
Harry looked like he hadn't slept a wink. Above them, the enchanted sky lit up with a bolt of lightning and a crack of thunder rattled the room. Hermione flinched as the rain picked up outside.

"I hate storms," she said as the boys sat on the Slytherin table at the opposite side of the room.

"I snuck off with your brother the other day," declared Pansy suddenly. Ginny coughed on her eggs in surprise and Hermione's fear faded as she listened to Pansy explain.

"We went for a walk of the grounds and ended up kissing behind one of the greenhouses. That's why he had detention with Sprout yesterday,"

"Why didn't you then?" questioned Daphne.

"Sprout only saw Ron. He pushed me behind a massive pot so she didn't see me. I don't know what to do now," she said.

Hermione's eyebrow rose. "What do you mean? As in you don't know whether to date him or?"

"No! I'm sure he would be all up for that but I don't want a relationship," The girls nodded in agreement and Neville found himself copying them despite his happy relationship with Hannah. "I think I fancy a professor as well."

The girls giggled and squealed as Pansy smirked and shoved Hermione's elbow out of her ribs.

"WhIch one?" laughed Daphne. Neville watched the boys glance at the happy noise and then whisper between themselves. Ron was dragged back to the table by his cloak by Harry.

"I bet it's Vectra," giggled Ginny as she took another sausage from the platter before her.

"Actually it's- holy shit is that Krum?" exclaimed Pansy as she sat bolt upright. Her eyes were wide as the world renownedQuidditch player strode purposefully down the Great Hall amid the whispers towards their group.

"Merlin's balls!" swore Hermione as she fluffed her hair up and hid behind Pansy slightly.

"What's he doing here?" hissed Ginny as she looked around the Professors table, her nails digging into Neville's bicep. Nobody seemed to be surprised to see the wizard. He stopped at their table and bowed slowly.

"Ladies, Hermione," he greeted, his accent thick as he smiled at them. Daphne was slack jawed as she watched Victor Krum hold a hand out to Hermione, who was blushing furiously. The brunette's eyes widened as Krum made a grasp at her hand.

"I wouldn't do-. Nevermind," she cut herself off as two things happened instantaneously. Krum's fingers brushed against Hermione's and he was catapulted over the Ravenclaw table and into the stone wall, and on the other side of the hall, Draco had stood  
up and was growling as his features turned slightly lupine. Blaise and Ron wrapped their arms around him as he thrashed and snarled. A group of Hufflepuff first years were screaming as Draco's face elongated into a muzzle and Hermione moaned loudly  
from her seat.

Professor McGonagall had called for order as Sirius went to calm Draco down and escort the boys out of the hall through a small anteroom.

"Hermione?" worried the elder witch as she watched the girl's eyes turn gold and blood stain the back of her white shirt. Pansy looked at the bleeding and then gathered Hermione's cloak, throwing it over the witch's shoulders as she continued to mewl.  
Professor Slughorn was stood behind them, his fingers twiddling as he watched the girl rouse slowly.

"To your lessons, all of you," bellowed McGonagall as she waited for the hall to clear. "Horace, please call Poppy and have her check Professor Drum over."

"What's he even teaching?" asked Ginny as she poured a glass of pumpkin juice and handed it to Neville who was as white as a ghost.

"He flew across the room," he muttered into the goblet which Daphne pushed to his lips.

"Mione?" pestered Pansy as the brunette lifted her head from the table.

"Where is he?" she asked frantically, standing up and ripping the cloak from her shoulders.

"He went sailing across the table and slammed into the wall," explained Ginny with a slight snicker.

"Not him!"

"Draco's through the door behind the Professor's table," explained Pansy and she was dragged by the brunette to the room.

Professor McGonagall swore as she looked about. Neville was still recovering from what seemed to be shock, Krum was slowly coming too as Horace prodded his back, Poppy pushed the door open and Minerva could hear Draco shouting in the anteroom.

"It's not even lunchtime and yet today is already disastrous," she said quietly as she sunk onto the bench. Another lightning bolt illuminated the hall and Ginny smiled.

"At least no one's died."

"Be quiet Ginevra."

* * *

As soon as Pansy tried to pry Hermione's fingers off of her wrist the brunette went barreling into the room and crashing into Draco. The man had half transformed and was howling in pain as he felt him fingers break and the bones grow and fuse at odd angles.

"Draco," Sirius said Hermione launched herself into her mate's arms. The blonde was past reasoning as he breathed in her scent. "Alright, everyone o-" Sirius' order was cut short as Draco ripped Hermione's shirt and twisted her round, sinking his teeth  
in the bleeding mark between her shoulder blades. The pheromones rolled off the duo as reunited.

Sirius had to grip at the chair in front of him as Pansy felt her knees buckle.

"Out!" roared Harry, the only one who didn't seemed to be affected by the sexual chemistry in the air. The wizard dragged Theo and Blaise out as Ron had already wrapped an arm around Pansy's waist and was kissing at her neck. Sirius' eyes darken and he  
advanced on the younger girl. Inside his head he knew it was some magical after effect of Draco's action, but all he could think about was touching her skin.

Pansy moaned as Ron nipped at her neck and Sirius brushed a finger over her cheek. The atmosphere was broken when a spell, cat by Madame Pomfrey, settled over the room. The trio broke apart suddenly, startled at their collective behaviour. Sirius allowed  
himself to transform into his animagus to escape the room quickly as Pomfrey quickly ushered Ron and Pansy out of the room.

"What the bloody hell was that?" swore Ron as he watched Pomfrey cast a spell on the door to seal it.

"The bond between their souls is powerful and Victor Krum's touch accelerated their reconnection. They won't be seen for the rest of the day probably," explained Madame Pomfrey to a disgusted Ron.

"What's he even doing here?" Pansy asked as she made her way back over to Ginny and her friends, her cheeks scarlet as she tried to slow down her breathing.

"He is the new flying professor," replied Ginny as she raised an eyebrow to Pansy's flushed complexion. The Slytherin simply shook her head and settled down on the bench.

"This does not exempt you from lessons,"

"But Professor," the group complaints were silenced by a stare and the group quickly left the Hall, departing to their lessons for which they had missed the first fifteen minutes.


	15. The Worries of Some

"Viktor, Please take a seat," murmured Minerva from behind her desk. The elder witch was tying a tartan dressing gown around her thin frame as she listened to the sound of students enjoying their two hours after dinner and before lights out.

The young man raised an eyebrow before he wedged himself in one of the front desks uncomfortably. The tall man folded his legs under the wood as the Headmistress perched on the edge of her desk with her arms folded over her chest, her natural scowl sat on her face.

"Is this about Herm- Miss Granger?" he quickly checked himself as the Headmistress stared him down. Viktor had entered the Great Hall just as dinner was being served and had strutted down the aisle, ignoring the stares and whispers he was receiving. The Headmistress had sighed into her goblet and was beginning to regret hiring the Quidditch star as he seemed to be causing more trouble than any Flying Teacher was worth.

"Viktor, this is something that should have been discussed with you before you arrived, I take it Horace never got around to it," he nodded with a slight smirk, "Well, Miss Granger is the mate of a werewolf and so tempting her mate is a stupid, irresponsible and downright stupid. If you feel that you cannot forget your childhood crush and move on like an adult, and may I remind you, a _professor,_ then I am afraid this may not be the right year for your employment with us."

Victor's smile slowly faded as the Headmistress informed him of Hermione's situation. "Is she alright though?" Minerva's face was a picture of confusion. "Has her mate hurt her because I touched her?"

"No you silly man, she is perfectly fine. They have been, how should I put it, rekindling all day. That is why you have not heard or seen much about them. I should warn you though, he is quite prone to mood swings and irrational thoughts. Not the first to think his actions through if you understand me," she chuckled at the thought of Draco attempting to murder the man in front of her. She could picture the blinded wizard growing and attempting to pull the Bulgarian off of his broom as he tried to escape his angry wrath.

"Rekindling?"

"Please don't ask me to spell it out, I have to burn that entire room to the ground now because you forgot you are no longer a student," she snapped at him. The clock on her desk chimed and she shooed the man out of her classroom, happy that she was finally able to have some time to herself. She bid Viktor goodnight and locked her door, flicking her wand towards a small anteroom that she used to store her tea set, gramophone and some light snacks. An old tune from her teen years began to waft through the large classroom as a cup and saucer floated towards her. She smiled and sat down at her desk, the comfy chair allowing her usually rigid posture to relax.

"Finally some peace and quiet," she murdered before taking a sip of her honey sweetened tea.

Three loud knocks on the classroom door made her jump and the amber liquid went sloshing over the teacup and pooling in the saucer. "Professor? It's Blaise and Ernie, for the apprenticeship thing," the muffled voice of her student made her swear as she jumped to open the door.

"Alright I'm coming, stop that incessant knocking for Merlin's sake!"

* * *

Classes had slipped by quickly and before she knew it, Luna was due a visit to the Astronomy Tower. The girls had decided to meet to discuss the day's events in a sort of cathartic event, and Luna was skipping up the stone steps as she hummed a quiet tune. She enjoyed having the company of new female friends and now that they were sharing a dorm, Luna felt like she was a few steps closer to having new people who she could paint on her wall.

"Luna, is that you?" a wand was pointing in her face and she blinked a few times as Daphne apologised and pocketed her wand. "Sorry, I warded the balcony so I was hoping you weren't some fourth year waiting for her boyfriend, because you would have ended up in the Black Lake," she giggled.

"Come on Lovegood, I'm freezing," Pansy was motioning the younger girl to cross the Tower and join her and Ginny. The two girls were wrapped in one thick cloak as the early autumn wind was biting at this height.

"I just saw Ron in the hallway, I think the boys are trying to invade our meeting," she said in a way of greeting. Ginny rolled her eyes but Daphne reminded them that they were surrounded by a ward that would transport the trespassers to the edge of the Lake.

"I need to tell you about Theo," Daphne began the 'meeting' with a sigh as she leant out over the balcony and surveyed the surrounding hills and water. "He's been acting odd again and he acted as if we had never even met when we had Herbology together this afternoon. I don't know what to do anymore, he won't tell me anything."

"I can lock him in a broom closet if you want," offered Pansy.

"Didn't you say he received a letter from his dad?"

"Pansy only speculated," reminded Luna as they black haired girl opened her mouth to retaliate.

"Even if it was from his father, why would he be so angry at me?" Daphne was crying softly now as Luna took her house scarf off and wrapped it around the blonde slytherin. She sniffled in thanks.

"He was a dick so I bet he's just threatening to strike him off of the will or something," Ginny said as the wind picked up.

"If Theo was to be struck out of his inheritance and if we are still married by the time we leave school, we will be bumming in at your parents house," hiccoughed Daphne as she remembered her father had disowned her.

"I can ask Blaise to get the answer out of him," Pansy suggested, glossing over the difficult topic of inheritance.

"That's a good idea, or Draco? Those three are as thick as thieves. Merlin you could get Ron to ask him, they're good friends now," agreed Ginny. The boys were as close as the girls were and Daphne knew she could ask any of them to ask her husband.

"I'll ask Blaise tomorrow morning," Daphne resided, wiping her eyes and asking about her makeup that was running down her face.

"It's fine, you still look amazing."

"I hope Mione and Draco are okay," murmured Pansy, uncharacteristically quiet as she snuggled further into the cloak.

"They will be fine I suspect, they're idiots when they're around each other."

"I bet McGonagall is going to burn that room now," laughed Daphne. Luna nodded along, chuckling at the thought.

"We better get back soon, curfew is in a few minutes," Ginny said, pulling the girls back through the the Tower. Daphne cancelled the ward and followed the trio. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a figure in the corridor but when she turned to look at them properly, there was no one there. She thought about mentioning it but after staring at the spot and the rest of the corridor, she thought against worrying her friends.

* * *

"Potter, what's your answer my dear boy," asked Slughorn as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his waistcoat. The Advance potions class were not allowed to leave to enjoy they're free time until every single student had answered one of Slughorn's questions. They were currently twenty minutes behind schedule after Ernie Macmillan stumbled through his explanation of how to process pixie wings once they had been doused in a potion.

"Come on Potter," complained Blaise from his side. The pair had been snickering as Ernie had been subjected to the torture but Harry had gone deathly silent as he tried to think what Hermione would say.

"Valerian flowers, blood flowers and a dash of colloidal silver creates what potion to treat what problem?" repeated Slughorn as Harry's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

"Some kind of medicine is suppose," he said finally. Theo and Blaise sighed in relief, Blaise going as far as to clap as Theo threw his hands up in the air. They were the only ones in the class who Harry considered friends so he didn't mind their behaviour.

"Theodore, could you answer for Mr Potter please," succumbed the Professor with a long winded sigh. Theo stood up as Harry sunk down in his seat, swatting at Blaise.

"A simple potion made usually by nurses and housewitches to alleviate the signs of swelling once a child under the age of eleven has hit their head. If the blood flower is injected along with colloidal silver, no matter the quantity, a person above the age of twelve will be rendered mute. There had been no know cure for the ingestion after twelve," he said evenly. Harry rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath as Slughorn awarded points to Slytherin and beamed at Theo.

"Do you have to be a potions wizz, it's exhausting being partnered with you," Blaise said.

"I am a potion-masters apprentice now, how did you even get into advanced potions in the first place?" he replied with a smirk.

The three boys began imitating and insulting each other as Slughorn finally dismissed the class.

"Except you three!"

The trio were halfway out of the door and Blaise turned on his heel reluctantly. He whispered something into Harry's ear and the pair hid their cackles as Theo lead them back to their desk.

"I just wanted to invite you three, and the other boys obviously, you know, Weatherby and the others, over for a few drinks tomorrow night. A boy's night if you will," he offered with a smile.

"Isn't that breaking some sort of law?" whispered Harry to Blaise and they sniggered as Theo accepted the invitation for them.

"Oh Professor, could I talk to you in private for a moment," he asked, shoving Blaise and Harry towards the classroom door.

Outside in the draughty corridor, the duo could just make out Ron at the top of the stone steps that lead down to the dungeons. His head was poking out of a crowd that seemed to have amassed around him, twittering and gossiping as the redhead looked panicked.

One of the girls, a fourth year Gryffindor, pushed at his shoulder, her obnoxious voice carrying down the corridor towards Harry and Blaise.

"Is Granger married to Malfoy?" she demanded and Ron's face screwed up in pain. He was going red and Harry ran to the crowd. Ron was physically clamping his jaw together, an action that made Blaise shift from a leisurely stroll to a quicker walk.

"Ron?"

"SHE'S HIS MATE!" he bellowed and the shock factor left everybody speechless. Quickly, the hissing whispers began and Ron slapped his cheek for his slip of the tongue. Harry's heart began to beat faster than before. Nobody outside of the Tower knew about the werewolf and only a little digging would lead the rest of the castle to that conclusion as the term 'mate' was commonly applied to those affected with Lycanthropy.

"Ron! Why in Merlin's name did you say that?" demanded Blaise as he pushed the younger students aside so he could reach the redhead who was once again holding his jaw closed.

"I want everyone gone in the next ten seconds or I will deduct ten points off of everyone!" roared Harry and the gossiping crowd disintegrated with immense speed.

"I think somebody slipped something into my drink at breakfast. I want to say it was veritasium because I can't stop. It's like an urge Harry. Trelawney asked me what my last dream was and I told her. In detail," he confessed, his voice high as Blaise bit his lip to stop his laughter.

"Are you sure?"

The wizard was nodding his head so violently that Blaise reached out and grabbed it.

"Are you a virgin?" he asked smirking. The two Gryffindors eyebrows had disappeared into their hairlines as Blaise tugged Ron into a nearby classroom.

"No," he muttered, unable to do anything but be subjected to the interview.

"Would you object to someone in the Tower dating your sister?" piped up Harry quickly.

"Depends on who but it is was either of you no, I think she's seeing someone already though mate," he replied after some thought.

"Who was the last person you had sex with?"

"What is your probl- Pansy."

"Seriously?"

"I can't bloody well lie can I" Ron replied, already making a mental note that he needed to slip his friends some of the truth telling potion.

"You can avoid the truth though," noted Harry before he continued, "What happened with Pansy?"

"We were kind of seeing each other during the summer, but it's more of a physical thing I guess."

"Do you think Theo's acting a bit odd," questioned Blaise quietly.

"That's a bit of a waste of a question mate," laughed Harry.

"Yeah, he's been really off with Daphne recently too. I think she's pregnant," muttered Ron quickly. "Do I?" he asked himself as his hidden thoughts revealed themselves quickly.

"What? Pregnant?" echoed Harry.

"Yeah, Malfoy keeps smelling her and then looking at Mione so he's either having second thoughts and I'm gonna kill him or he's thinking about babies, I don't know," he explained as he blushed. "Was I the only one who read the book Mione let us?"

"You read that!" exclaimed Harry with disbelief.

"Yeah..." he trailed off.

"Well, I am can ask Daphne, she might not even know," offered Blaise as the boys exited the classroom. "But right now we need to go to Sirius. You were slipped a potion by someone and it's obviously a very high dosage," instructed the Italian wizard as he began to lead them to the DADA classroom.

"Yeah, I mean, under normal circumstances you wouldn't tell me about what happened when you met up with Pansy behind the greenhouses," Harry said quickly, but the effect was the same and Ron spluttered and blushed through the monologue of his romp with the Slytherin girl.

* * *

Author's Note: Next chapter is purely DraMione and it's gonna be a heartfelt fluff ball and then it will probably change to Daphne again. Please review and follow/favourite because I become so motivated by them :)


	16. The uncertainty of the mind

"How long have you been standing there?"

It was a dignified question but she couldn't help but bristle as he stepped out of the shadows, his tall frame dwarfing her. Hermione couldn't remember who she had been talking to before that moment nor how she ended up in the charms corridor, but it no longer mattered.

"I won't ask again," she warned him, but her voice quivered as he trailed a fingertip down the column of her neck. "Draco..."

He ignored her and stepped closer, guiding her until she was pressed against the stone wall, her body molded to his. A finger continued to trace her jaw and she opened her mouth to speak once more but was cut off but his swift kiss. A small squeak of surprise was swallowed and it took all of her willpower to turn her head and break the kiss.

"I mean it, how long were you there for?" She was slightly breathless but was determined to meet his eye. His face was still partly in the shadows and she could only make out the shape of his lips in the moonlit corridor. She knew she should be confused about the time but it never made it to the front of her thoughts.

He took a measured breath before pulling away slightly and Hermione couldn't help but mourn the loss of contact. Her fingers instinctively gripped his unfamiliar robe and his movements stopped except for the curving of his lips.

"Answer me," she demanded, her nails digging into his skin. Their eyes finally met and the gasp was hard to contain. His pupils were wide and dark, ringed with gold and the feral look intensified within them as soon as she placed a hand on his cheek.

"Long enough." His voice was rough and gravelly but the effect was still the same. Goosebumps rippled along her arms and she shivered involuntarily. "You should never have let me in," he whispered against her hair. There was a shift in the air.

"What are you talking about?" she asked as his fingers began to work at the buttons of her shirt. She opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she panicked, feeling the shirt fall open. She began to pushed him away helplessly but he simply clamped her hands to his chest with one of his own as the other toyed with her bra.

"Do not fight me Hermione. You gave yourself to me remember," his voice became monotone and she felt him shift under her palms. Looking up, his face was still in shadow and all she could see were his strange golden eyes.

Hermione's gut twisted and she felt tears prick behind her eyes as she continued to tried to make a sound.

"No one will ever hear you Hermione. Nobody will ever find you," Draco was no longer talking, she realised. However this was who had her pinned up against the wall was not the man she was beginning to fall for.

"You right, it's not your precious little lap dog," laughed the man, answering her unspoken thought. Sharp canine teeth glinted in the dim light. They were stained yellow and Hermione realised then that the man had blood running down his chin and onto her chest, coating her simple lace bra with the dark, sticky liquid.

She began to cry out but she made no noise, just as the monster had promised. She felt helpless as he lifted her further up on his thigh, her toes no longer in contact with the floor. The sharp sting of tears threatened to overwhelm her and she could do nothing but weep. She was trapped, unable to move or scream as the blood continued to drip onto her.

It took her a few moments to realise that she couldn't feel the liquid, like she couldn't feel the rough stone behind her. Tears where misting her view but she knew she wasn't looking at Draco. The creature in front of her was gripping her wrists so hard that her fingers were white, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything.

Internally Hermione was still terrified, but she sobbed loudly, her chest heaving as she tried to breath deeply. _I am dreaming,_ she decided slowly. It was the only possible explanation. She had fallen asleep with Draco in the trophy room. _This must be a dream, no a nightmare,_ she corrected herself. _Wake up! Merlin's beard Hermione, wake up!_ she ordered herself as the creatures fingers began to ease her bra straps down, growling as she began to wriggle. Hermione stilled suddenly, her glassy eyes looking directly into the gold ones above her. She maintained eye contact as she slammed the back of her head into the stone wall. The golden eyes wavered in her vision as she repeated the action, feeling no pain. After the third strike, the thigh between her legs was removed and she dropped to the flagstone floors, her hands shoved out in front of her. The creature swore once as he stepped back.

Hermione lay there as she had landed, numb on the floor watching the dark figure retreating, until she heard more footsteps a while later. As they came closer, she realised she could feel things. The warmth trickling down her back was her blood, she realised hazily, and her wrists were throbbing. The cold of the floor was seeping through her open shirt and her exposed legs.

A feminine cry pierce her thoughts as Hermione could only glance at the girl, her outline fuzzy, as she dropped to her knees in front of her.

Hermione tried to move but pain shot through her body and she stilled, no sound escaping her lips. _Not a dream_ , she scolded herself but her vision was stained with black spots as unconsciousness slowly over came her. Her last thought was of Draco, _was he still in the room? Did he know what happened?_

"Sorry" she tried to say, but the darkness had already consumed her and she closed her tired eyes slowly.

* * *

Daphne had retired to bed, unable to meet her husband's eye. She detested herself and him in that moment. How could she have been as stupid to marry that young. Did they even know each other anymore?

A war could change anybody and she knew she was lucky to still have her husband living, but she had changed over the last twelve months. She was no longer the passive little girl she had been when Theo had fallen in love with her, and he was not the kind hearted, open boy he had been.

Daphne paused her nightly routine to glance at the wizard who was already on his side in bed, silently brooding as she sat at the vanity to apply some creme to her neck. She watched the rise and fall of the sheet around him and she sighed softly to herself.

The glint of her wedding ring used to excite her, and she had longed to see it after so many months hidden, but the sight made her recoil now. Daphne bit her lip and sniffed, unaware that there were already tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Daphne," Theo said quietly, not moving from his position in the bed. Daphne realised she had never felt more alone than in that moment. They were back to back, a room apart, but she felt as if he had winded her.

Without answering him, Daphne swept out of the room and down the spiral staircase, quietly sobbing into her hand as she passed other's rooms. At the foot of the stairs she caught her breath and looked up at their door, but it didn't open. The feeling in her gut was killing her but she was thankful there was nobody up late studying. She needed time alone and a walk through the castle would help that.

Before she left the Tower, she slipped her feet into some silk slippers that Pansy had toed off earlier in the night, and wrapped a cloak that smelled like the Greenhouses around her. The borrowed garments were too big but she payed them no mind as she slipped out of the tapestry and began walking aimlessly towards one of the secret passageways that cut across the castle to the charms corridor. From there, she would take a left and then follow the stair case down to the dungeons before following the lesser known route to the kitchens.

She wiped her tear-stained face with her sleeve and emerged in the charms corridor. It was deathly quiet, unlike the rest of the castle in which the portraits were sleeping loudly or there was a ghost floating through.

It unnerved her but she continued down the corridor, aware that Flich would be patrolling on the floor above. The shadows the moon cast seemed darker here, and they twisted and flinched as she passed. She was about to break into a slight run when she noticed a dark figure crossing the hallway, leaving behind a shivering lump on the floor.

Daphne found herself saying a quiet prayer as she crossed to the body, her wand out just in case the dark creature was to return.

Daphne had seen to many people she had known during the war. The witch had reversed some of the most gruesome tasks, bloodied herself so that the patient would survive the night, and not once had she felt nauseous as she looked at a wound.

The tears had returned but this time Daphne couldn't help the horrible sobs. Hermione lay crumpled at her feet, crusted blood smearing her exposed chest, as her hair lay slick in a pool of crimson. Daphne dropped to her knees with a loud cry, reaching out to touch Hermione's pale arm. There were bruises scattered along her but the startling contrast of the purple with her pale skin highlighted the rusty blood further.

The brunette had her eyes closed and was cold and limp to the touch, and she noticed a large gash in her skull, but the most worrying thing was a bite mark on the juncture of her shoulder. The wound was large and still oozing blood, but the viscous liquid was black and its gravitational flow meant in cut straight across her neck, dripping into the fresh red blood underneath her. It looked like a noose around her neck.

"Hermione!" Daphne's voice was quiet, overcome with emotion as she heaved and gasped for breath. She was unsure of what to do, but she couldn't help but curl over, linking her fingers with Hermione's stiff ones. Daphne lay down, her blonde hair becoming slick with blood as she faced her friend, nose to nose and their legs inter tangling.

Gripping her wand, Daphne cast the only spell she could think of. It took a moment of tense anticipation but when her skin touched Hermione's began to glow a pale gold, and Daphne could feel the effects of the spell taking control.

The wooziness that came from blood loss hit her first, then the withdrawal of adrenaline that Hermione must have felt. Daphne cast a final spell sluggishly before she closed her eyes, her life force draining to keep Hermione alive.

No matter how alone she felt because of him or how angry she was, the spell woke Theo up a few moments later. Her patrous was dim, not fully formed, but it didn't matter because Theo was out of the room within seconds, running down the stairs and pounding on doors as he went.

"I'm coming Daph, Merlin please," he begged quietly to himself as he ran out the room, trusting his gut would lead him to the one he couldn't bear to be without.

* * *

Professor McGonagall had been under her covers for mere moments when the feeling of wrongness overtook her. Sitting up and relighting the oil lamp besides her, she strained to listen for something wrong.

Usually, when she had this feeling, a student was where they were not supposed to be, or had become seriously unwell. Much like Poppy Pomfrey, the school spoke to her. This felt different somehow, the same core but a different casing.

She snatched her wand off of the bedside table and shoved the covers back with more energy than someone of her age should possess. A quick glance at the glass dome in the corner of her room matched her fears.

Somebody was inside the castle walls. An intruder who had the intention of dark magic. Only, they had simply walked through the grounds and met no defense. She hoped Poppy had also been alerted to the fact.

Fear gripped her as she pushed her arms through her tartan dressing gown, ignoring her flowing hair in favour for another trinket, a simple silver necklace hanging off of it's own delicate hook near her door.

She ran her thumb across the chain and waited, holding her breath until it warmed in her palm. Smiling slightly, her heart slowed as Poppy returned their call for emergencies.

"Merlin guide me," she whispered, kissing the chain and tucking it into her pocket. There was somebody in the castle whose intention was to harm one of her students, but by Merlin and Morgana she was going to stop them.


	17. The Darkest Minds, The Clearest Hearts

Sirius had just finished pouring himself a drink when a few rapt knocks startled him into nearly dropping the antique decanter.

He glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of his quarters before pushing the glass away from him and he crossed the room to open his door.

"I know it's only just five," he began as he pulled the door open, expecting Minerva to be scowling up at him. Instead, he was greeted by his godson and friends, one of whom looked like he was about to pass out from blushing.

"Oh, it's just you," he halted himself, letting out a breath he never realised he was holding. He ushered the boys in wary of the possible implications. "What's up?"

"Somebody slipped me a veritasium at breakfast and now I cannot stop," Ron's words were rushed as he allowed Harry to push him into a chair.

"That's got to be a strong dose if you tell me what colour underwear you're wearing," Sirius tested him. Ron muttered the answer as Blaise handed him the glass Sirius had only just poured.

"Ice?" The Italian asked, handing another glass to Harry before offering one to Sirius himself.

"Of course, and do not tell Minerva though," he warned, accepting the glass. "Now lets see what I can do for this."

Blaise crossed his ankles as he downed his drink, leaning against a side table. "I've been wondering, who would want to slip you a truth-telling potion?"

"I think that might have been Draco and Theo," Harry finally murmured as he watched Sirius fiddle around in a battered chest of draws. Sirius looked up over the rim with an eyebrow cocked.

"I thought you were all friends?" he questioned returning to his task.

"They were given phials of something yesterday, from the apprenticeship meeting," Ron grumbled, his fingers drumming on his thigh.

Harry shook his head having completely forgotten about the meeting itself. "Why would they both slip you the potion?"

"I think the question is why would they need to," Blaise wondered, intrigued about the potions master's task. "McGongall gave us simple tasks but none that would harm another."

"I think the dose he was supposed to be given would have only last for about half an hour, but with two doses of pure veritasium, it counteracts and becomes more potent. They probably both gave you the potion thinking the other hadn't," Sirius had pulled a dried leaf out of his stores. "Chew on this for a bit," he ordered, passing it to Ron.

"I would have taken you to Theo," Blaise began, "but he's been MIA for a while now."

"Yeah, for a week or so. Daphne spent the night with Pansy," Harry added as Ron nodded enthusiastically, his mouth still full.

"Well, what theory have you come up with?" Sirius questioned, settling himself in his comfiest armchair. He had noticed that the introverted boy had become a recluse, practically a shadow, during the final week of the holdiays. Sirius had attempted to talk to him but he had evaded every opportunity.

"Ron thinks Daphne's pregnant," Harry supplied for his friend who was mimeing feeding a newborn.

"A possibility," Sirius agreed quietly. "But she doesn't seem to know and I don't imagine Theo having the intuition to know."

"His father still hasn't been found." The room went quiet as Blaise voiced his thoughts. "Nott Senior is still on the run somewhere."

"I need to talk to him," Sirius announced loudly. "If Nott Senior is trying to contact his son then Hogwarts is the first place he will go and that puts us all in danger." Sirius trailed off before glancing at the boys in turn. "Did any of you notice somebody hanging around Grimmauld the past week?"

The trio exchanged wary glances before Ron spat the leaf out into his palm. "I thought I saw somebody in the shadows on the way to breakfast."

"Pansy mentioned something like that in passing," Harry spoke.

"Pansy?" Sirius echoed.

Harry nodded, "we were walking back to the Tower about an hour ago. She was staring one of the alcove for a while but then she just shrugged it off."

The grandfather clock made them jump as it signaled the start of dinner. They all laughed to expel the unease and tension, joking about how they had been chatting for an hour like housewives.

"Sirius," Harry's tone was collected but his Godfather could see the unease in his eyes, "What if that wasn't the end?" Harry hadn't known anything but the war during his childhood.

Sirius sighed and clasped a hand on the younger wizard's shoulder. The pair had shared more than a few late night conversations talking about the possibility of a rogue follower continuing in Voldemort's footsteps.

"This is the peacetimes Harry, I promise you," he assured him, "I promise i'll sort this all out. You just worry about your classes and the apprenticeships," but Sirius couldn't hide the unease in his features.

* * *

Neville had been tending to his first specimen, gently peeling the leaves back from the glass slide he had used to display the flower head upon shortly after a quick dinner.

He had whistled as he repotted sproutlings and pruned a thorny rose, oblivious to the figure rooting around in the greenhouse in which his office was attached to.

It was small and cluttered, the size of his own bedroom at home, but it was perfect. Everything had been organised to his tastes and there was flora everywhere. Neville was in a world of his own, unaware of the person stealing preserves meters behind him.

Only the rustle of a vicious shrieking violet gave the intruder away. The shrub lived up to his name, shrieking in alarm. Neville grabbed his wand and shot a warning spell into the greenhouse, satisfied when he heard a grunt and then a dull thud as a body dropped to the floor. Neville soothed the plant before addressing the intruder.

The alarm call had alerted Professor Sprout and together, wands at the ready, they turned the robed figure over. Neville felt the tension leave his shoulders as he registered Theo.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" he asked, cancelling the spell and helping the man up.

Theo brushed the dirt from his robes and had the decency to look guilty. "I apologise Professor," he calmed the small woman next to him before he turned to his roommate. "The potions master requires some fresh leaves," he explained, "and I came to talk to you about something." The two students bid the professor goodbye before Neville motioned towards his office, ushering Theo in and then sliding the glass door closed quietly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, picking up a potted plant and sitting down in it's place, offering Theo the only seat not covered in soil.

"Do you grow any rosehip?" Theo was looking down at his shoes like they held the answers to the universe. "Or yellow parsley? And I was wondering if you had any dried lavender stalks."

Neville thought hard for a few moments. "Rosehip for babes and yellow parsley for the mother?" He didn't look the stoic man in the eye. Theo nodded slowly instead of answering.

"I think Daphne might be pregnant," he confessed, so quietly that Neville almost missed it.

"She's a medi-witch in training, does she know?" Neville knew that a monumental change like pregnancy was usually felt by the woman first, so the fact that Daphne had not said anything even though she must have known the symptoms, made him worry.

"I just have an inkling. It's hard to explain, like it came in a dream or something." The Slytherin couldn't help but scoff at his own words and their absurdity. "I just want to make sure that's all."

"I can give them to her, ask her about it, but the rosehip won't blossom for a few more weeks," Neville felt uneasy as Theo visibly relaxed. "Dried lavender is commonly used in mood affective potions. Is this why you've been a bit off recently?"

Theo frowned for a moment before schooling his features once more. "Truth?" he looked at the Gryffindor he hardly knew who nodded encouragingly. "My father wrote to me the other day, to tell me he was making his way north," Neville looked slightly confused for a moment before he understood the entire situation.

"He does not know about Daphne," Neville's guess was met with a nod, "and so you think that keeping your distance, especially now, will be more beneficial in case he does come calling?"

Theo sighed deeply, running a hand over his face. "I don't know what to do, I can't stop the dark thoughts so Hermione gave me potion recipe."

"Professor McGonagall will help, in both aspects, I am sure of it, and you could tell your wife," Theo visibly flinched at Neville's suggestion, noticing the firm tone easily. It weighed on him as he wandered back to the Tower, ignoring his friends in favor of a long bath, alone with his thoughts.

Theo heard Daphne enter their bedroom and leave soon after, her voice travelling up to their room as she laughed and joked in the common room. He couldn't seem to shake the all encompassing foul mood he found himself in when he thought about his father.

The letter, a short and simple note, had reopened the darkness within him and the feelings of self-hate had began to surface after so long being buried. The pits of darkness came with a lethargic sense of energy and Theo had struggled to simply leave his bed on some days. He couldn't meet Daphne's kind eyes without feeling like he had trapped her in a marriage of unrequited love.

That thought made him scowl. There weren't many things Theo would put before his life, but Daphne was unquestionably the most important thing he had ever come to know. His love for the blonde was monumental and some days it stole his breath when he remembered that she loved him too.

The self-doubt and hatred he harbored lessened when she kissed him, and the possibility that she was carrying their child made his heart soar, but the shadows would always remind him of who he was, the family he had come from, the father that had shaped him. Theo would crush the feelings of hope as he dismissed the idea of being a good father. He had no doubt that Daphne would make the most wonderful mother, but any child of his, any child of a Nott was bound to go rotten.

Theo had accidental sat in the cooling water for over an hour, his head filling with dark thoughts as he dried himself off. His father was the first thing he had to worry about. He needed to ensure Daphne's safety and if that meant leaving her to lead him away then he would. He climbed into their cold bed, internally agreeing to his plan when she came in, seating herself at the vanity.

Theo opened his mouth but then shut it abruptly. Daphne had turned in the chair and he could feel her eyes on his back.

"Daphne," he called out but the passion and emotions were trapped deep within and the word came out monotonous and heavy. He heard her sniff as she swept out of the room, and he was certain that she was crying but he couldn't find the energy to move.

Theo stayed motionless, his eyes unfixed, as the thoughts turned black and dark once more, his mental voice belittling him. He stayed like that for nearly an hour, on the cusp of sleep but tormenting himself with hatred.

He had asked Slughorn for the ingredients to a potion Hermione had recommended him, but they wouldn't be ripe for brewing until the following Tuesday, meaning Theo had another week of avoiding his wife and making her cry. The notion made his gut clench painfully.

Theo was drifting in and out of consciousness when a dove swept into the room, it's outline hazy and not as bright as it usually was. Theo was alert within moments, recognising his wife's patronus and the message it carried.

 _Help me,_

In that instant, all dark thoughts were gone and his heavy chest lifted, the breath coming easier to him as he charged from the room, waking their roommates as he trusted himself to find her. Regardless of whose child he was and how he had been raised, the possibility of the mother of his own child in danger made him reevaluate things subconsciously. He was going to brew the potion and step up, showing the child and his wife the love that they deserved.

Theo didn't realise until he was sprinting down the corridor that he was crying muttering the same prayers Daphne did until he turned a sharp corner and saw her.

In that moment, Theo's heart stopped.


	18. The Father

Poppy Pomfrey was hobbling down the stone steps from the Hospital Wing, her wand clutched in hand as she began to run barefoot through the deserted corridors, the only sound was that of her skin on the ancient stone.

The Medi-Witch had experienced the same uneasy feeling and once she'd been notified by Minerva that there truly was a problem, she had left in such a hurry she was nearly winded.

Poppy had experienced more bad things happening to students to last a lifetime, and over the span of her career, she had developed a sense of intuition regarding the injuries themselves. She could simply look at a patient's pupils and correctly guess the prognosis of their ailment or check their tongue and know what they had ingested. It was both a blessing and a curse as she continued through the castle. The gut instinct she had was rarely wrong, and at that point in time, Poppy felt horrendous.

Whatever had happened, and to whom, it was not a simple fix. Dark magic came with a particular smell, a metallic and tangy taste on the tongue, and the Medi-Witch could taste it in the air as she got closer to the charms corridor.

A figure was running towards her and she took up a defensive position, hands out in front with a nasty hex on the tip of her tongue, until she recognised the Headmistress. Minerva was as pale as a ghost as she gripped the other witch and dragged her to the charms corridor. Poppy recognised the severity of what had occurred when she heard a slight sob emanating from the Headmistress.

The uneasy feeling doubled when they finally stepped into the hallway. It was the longest corridor in the school and it turned sharply on itself, always obscuring the next part. Poppy cast a strong _lumos,_ her brows furrowing as some of the shadows remained in the alcoves and eaves.

"Poppy," Minerva began as she stopped in her tracks for a few seconds, horrified at the sight in front of her. They were stood looking down at three students, all lying in a drying pool of blood.

Poppy rushed forward, assessing the situation quickly. Hermione Granger had a large wound to the back of her head, a deep magical wound, and she was exhausted to top it all off, but her life support came from the complex spell Daphne Greengrass had cast. Poppy pursed her lips, knowing the dangers of that spell all too well.

In essence, Daphne had connected her magical core to Hermione's, sustaining the two in a measure that rendered them both in a state of deep unconsciousness. The longer the spell was in play, the harder it would be for medical professionals to untangle the cores. Poppy carefully ran a diagnostic spell of the boy who had wrapped his tall frame around Daphne's. Theo was also unconscious as he supplied his own magical core to his wife, their connection strong and reliable. Poppy decided that it was Theo's quick thinking into making himself the anchor that had possibly save the two girls, especially Hermione.

"What on earth happened?" Minerva said quietly before she steeled herself. She sent out her patronus and turned back to her colleague for answers.

"Miss Granger's head wound is shallow and it is not life threatening," Poppy began to close the wound and muttered a few quick replenishing spells, "but this bite is not what it seems to be." She couldn't bring herself to look the other witch in the eye. "I need to get all three of them to the hospital wing right now," she ordered, pushing herself up from her knees as more professors came from around the castle to help.

Sirius was the first there, swearing as he collapsed near the teenagers, his hands outstretched but the medi-witch quickly stopped him. "Nobody is to touch the three of them with bare skin." Poppy quickly gave out the same instruction to the handful of professors who were closest, whilst the rest agreed to search the castle grounds for whoever or whatever was responsible.

"Somebody needs to find Draco Malfoy," Sirius said, his voice cracking with emotion as he watched the teens be magically lifted. He was still kneeling in his bedclothes in the blood. A hand came down onto his shoulder which he violently shrugged off before allowing his animagus to overcome him. He sniffed at the ground before breaking into a run, quickly followed by Professor Vectra.

Minerva turned on her heel to stare back at the emotional wizard. "We need Remus Lupin," shocked gasps followed her statement, "Hermione Granger is the mate of Draco Malfoy, and I highly doubt this is the work of a werewolf, they would never do this to their mates. They share a bond and if the boy is not already out hunting whatever hurt her, chances are, he is seriously injured too."

"Narcissa should be informed," Professor Sprout shouted down the corridor as she waddled after the floating patients.

"I will Floo her once we know they are alright," Flitwick promised the retreating figures, his voice loud and confident, giving the rest of the professors the strength to push on. "Should the other parents be notified at this late hour?"

Minerva shook her head sadly, "The Granger's do not know that they have a daughter, and the Greengrass girls were disowned before their father was sent to Azkaban and Astoria's unfortunate demise. He, along with the Granger's are no longer apart of the girls' lives."

"And Theodore Nott?"

"I fear we do not have to tell Alasdair Nott for he already knows," McGonagall replied, her shoulders going back as she gripped her wand tighter. "Assemble the prefects and ensure that the school is locked down before calling the Aurors," she ordered the small man and he nodded, leaving quickly.

The transfiguration teacher was left with Horace, looking down at the pool of blood in the quiet corridor. The black ichor had failed to mix with the crimson and Horace cocked his head down at the puddle. He patted around in his quilted dressing gown, making a noise when he finally found an empty glass phial. Minerva watched the Potions teacher scoop up some of the black liquid, a bead dripping off of the glass.

"Find out what that is before sunrise and there might be a raise in it for you," the Headmistress whispered darkly.

Horace looked downcast as he pushed a cork stopper in place. "I do not need the motivation of money to do a good deed Minerva; three of my best students' lives are on the line, not to mention a high skilled healer," hurt leaked into his tone but Minerva did not watch him leave, instead she stared dejectedly at the puddle before turning on her heels, apparating to the sixth corridor.

* * *

Harry felt himself jolt awake as somebody knocked on his door. The Boy Who Lived scrambled out of bed, his glasses already in hand as he shoved his feet into some slippers, still conditioned from his time at Grimmauld Place during the war.

He opened his door, practically ripping it from it's hinges as he watched Theo wake everyone else up before running out of the Tower.

"What's going on?" Pansy mumbled sleepily as she stuck her head out of her door. Ginny's followed next but she was dressed, her long hair tied back and her quidditch boots on.

"Gin?" he called to her.

"Something's wrong, really wrong," she answered cryptically, jogging down the stairs to follow Theo out of the Tower. At that, the rest of the Tower left too, all in various states of undress. In any other circumstance, Harry was have laughed at Ron's Chudley Cannon boxers and Blaise's cotton nightcap, but there was no time. A heavy feeling settled in his stomach, just like it did before any mission during the war.

"Did Daphne stay with Theo tonight?" Shakes of heads answered him. "And Hermione? Are she and Draco still in that room?"

Neville, who was a few door up from Harry swore and then tore down the stone steps. "It must be Daphne and Theo!" he exclaimed, panic evident in his voice. "Daphne's pregnant and Theo's been looking for a mood affecting potion," he confessed, slightly breathless as they left the Tower. They stopped as a group for a fleeting moment before Pansy caught sight of Ginny's long red hair disappearing down a secret corridor a few meters away.

As they set off, a loud pop made them jump. McGonagall was in her dressing gown, her grey hair wild as she choked back a sob.

"I need you to promise me you will listen to my every instruction and not go off on your own or else I will lock you away, do you understand?" Her voice was wavering with emotion but it was fierce and made them stand up straighter.

"What's happened Professor?" Ron asked slowly.

Minerva shook her head slightly, "I need you to split into pairs and a professor will give you a section of the school. Somebody or something has attacked Hermione and Mr and Mrs Nott are now in danger as well. Has anybody heard from Draco this evening?"

Pansy doubled over, heaving bile as Luna gripped Blaise's arm. The Italian shook his head, answering for the collective.

"Alright, let's get going. Where is Ginevra?" McGonagall pondered, ushering the students towards the staircases.

"She went through the passage to the charms corridor I think," Parvati spoke up quietly from the back of the group. "She was dressed like she did when she went on missions for the Order," she added quietly.

Minerva breathed a little easier. Ginny Weasley was a fierce witch and at that point in time, she had no reason to worry about the Weasley girl.

* * *

Ginny had known something was wrong when she climbed into bed. She repeated the same matra she had when the war was in its height; t _oday was not the day to die._ She got up and slowly got changed into some sturdy jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt and a hoodie she had borrowed from one of the boys. Ginny quickly brushed her hair and tied it back into a high ponytail before pulling on her quidditch boots, the leather encasing her calves like a second skin, making her heart rate slow slightly.

A knock on her door made her jump and she grabbed her wand, shoving it in the upholster she had tied to her upper thigh. Something was wrong and she wasn't going to wait for somebody else to sort it out.

Ginny had followed Theo out of the Tower and slipped into the secret passage that lead to the corridor, her eyes adjusting to the dark slowly. She tripped over something, sending her sprawling onto the stone and she bit the inside of her cheek. She swore sharply and pushed herself up, patting her thigh to check for the comfort of her wand.

Ginny set off again, determined as she spat out the blood on her tongue, emerging in the charms corridor finally. She could just make out the pool of blood on the floor which set her mind into motion. She needed to find Draco, he would know what was going on.

* * *

Draco, however, could not move a muscle. After their day reconnecting, Draco's inner wolf had exhausted him and he felt drunk on happiness. It had been the strangest few weeks of his life. He had returned to his human body, skinny dipped in the Black Lake, marked the most beautiful witch he had ever known and now he was wrapped in his robes in an anteroom at Hogwarts after an afternoon of mind blowing sex. He refrained from pinching himself as he smiled goofily.

With a groan and his eyes still closed, Draco reached out to where Hermione had rolled off of him earlier that hour. The effort of simply stretching out his fingers was tiring but when he couldn't feel her skin, his heart began to hammer.

The wolf was asleep within so he could not rely on the animalistic bond they shared to see where she was or how she was feeling after what they had engaged in. As he tried to sit up, he registered the time and how quiet it was. They must have slept through dinner but that still didn't explain the sudden disappearance of his Gryffindor. Internally, he worried that he had forced himself on her and she was still angry at him. He had told her she didn't know him. It had killed him saying the words but at that point in time, he felt like he hadn't even known himself.

A metallic scent hit his sensitive nose and he scowled, an action that was met with a dark laugh from somewhere behind him. The Slytherin tried to sit up but the figure cast the spell quicker. Draco realised then that not only was he physically exhausted which had slowed down his reaction time, a full body bind had been placed upon him. _For fuck's sake_.

A dark figure stepped out of the shadows with a sick grin on his scarred features. Draco could have laughed at the change of events. Stood before him was Alasdair Nott Senior, one of a handful of Death Eaters that hadn't been accounted for. He had disappeared from the final battle without a trace but neither his body or his wand had been accounted for. He had thick greasy ropes of chestnut hair, that same texture as his son's, but unlike Theo who had the kind green eyes of his mother, Alasdair had shiny pink scars marring his features. Draco would have shuddered if he could; Alasdair's left eye socket was hollow and looked infected, the pasty skin of his eyelid drooping with scar tissue.

"Lucius would be ashamed with the filth you have sullied yourself with," the wizard's voice had the same effect as nails down a chalk board. Draco could do nothing but lay prone and exposed on the floor as he came closer. "A mudblood as a whore is only acceptable in certain circumstances, but a mudblood as a mate," Draco's eyes conveyed the anger that had suddenly overcome him as the man tutted.

"I know all about your _disease,_ " he mocked, pacing around the boy, "I mean we cannot forget that I was the one that suggested it, can we boy." Alasdair placed a foot over Draco's wand hand, slowly applying pressure with a sick grin.

 _Where is she?_ the demand was silent but Nott must have thought along the same lines as Draco's half transformed fingers broke with sharp cracks. "You won't see her again. A friend of mine is currently dealing with her. You may have marked her but she can still be given to someone else." Draco felt nauseous at the flippant tone the wizard used. He was talking as if Hermione was little more than a piece of property or a pet.

"Well, it was nice seeing you mongrel, but I best go find my worthless son," Nott kicked the blonde in the stomach before stamping on his face, grinning when he heard a satisfying crack. Draco felt hot tears slip from his scrunched up eyes, the pain overcoming his for a few moments.

When he finally had breathed through the pain, he was alone once more, able to move, albeit with difficulty.

"Granger!" he shouted, his voice rough and Draco couldn't help but notice how it echoed around the small anteroom, hardly loud enough to alert someone in the Great Hall, let alone call for his girl.


	19. The Son

Hello! Sorry for being MIA for a while and then spamming you with two chapters in two days. The inspiration kicked in from somewhere. Thank you for all of your reviews, I appreciate them so much and they really help me stay motivated and focused. I hope you enjoy, please R&R :) (Also I will be going through and editing/redrafting the story when I get the time before it's finished)

* * *

Dizziness was a feeling Theo detested. It made him feel weak and inadequate. It was his body's natural defense when his heart rate doubled.

Seeing his wife prone on the floor of the school that was supposed to protect them made his heart break. Without thinking, he impulsively rolled up his sleeves and ran to Daphne's side. He swore as he assessed the situation. Daphne had cast a spell that she had learnt from a banned book in the hopes of saving Granger.

Theo couldn't take his eyes off of her peaceful face as he lay down beside her, ignoring the pain in his ankle as the stone scraped at his skin. He slowly tugged his slack higher, pressing his calf against the Slytherin's, fuzzy black spots dancing through his vision.

Daphne didn't respond as he brushed her hair out of her face with shaking fingers, exposing her soft cheek and pale neck. Theo was now pressed up against his wife, his hands gripping her figure and his face pressed against hers. He didn't realise he was crying as the intensity of the spell overtook him. His magical core, the true binary of the small woman's in his arms, tangled with hers and he slipped into unconsciousness with her name the last thing on his brain.

 _"Theo," a harsh whisper woke him with a start._

 _The wizard sat up quickly, one hand already reaching for his wand when a small hand cupped his cheek. "Daph?" he whispered back, his voice hoarse from sleep. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the dark of the boy's dormitory. "What are you doing?"_

 _He felt her climb onto his bed, her knees making a dip in the mattress near his own. Slowly, her delicate features came into focus. There was no moon that night so the only source of light was the dying coals in the furnace in the corner of the rectangular room. The soft yellow glow lit her from behind, her buttery blonde hair, more white than yellow, framed her face and Theo had to bite his tongue. He thought she looked like an angel or a nymph and in that moment he was wondering if she had any Veela blood running through her veins._

 _"I got a letter," she was talking so quietly, conscious of their friends asleep either side of his four poster bed. He strained to hear her but he could make out the shape of her lips. "It's from my Aunt Genevieve, it's about the link of the souls."_

 _Theo saw her shiver and he scooted over, pulling the duvet from him so she could climb in next to her. Daphne hesitated for a moment before she unfolded her long legs and was laying next to him. His heart was hammering as he watched her smooth the fabric over her body, one hand clutching a roll of partchment._

 _"Wha-, what does it say?" he stuttered, pointing at the paper she was fiddling with. He gulped as she handed it to him dismissively._

 _"The souls will never relent. They need each other. We need each other," her tone dropped an active as if she as confessing. "It's never going to end Theo."_

 _"I know Daph, but how do we break a marriage contract?"_

 _The pair of thirteen year olds shared a worried look before looking over at Draco who was passed out on his front. It had been only two days since the full moon and Daphne couldn't help but worry that it was getting to the Malfoy boy._

 _"I don't want to hurt him Theo. I don't want to hurt anyone."_

 _Theo felt self-conscious when Daphne rested her head on his bony shoulder and he wished he was softer like Blaise, not as pointed and sharp as he was. He wanted to bottle this moment; the love of his life was in his bed, his cheek on her head and her hands clasped within his. Theo knew that if their parents somehow found out, they would both be dead, but he forced himself to relax._

 _His father couldn't get to him, or hurt Daphne, whilst they were at Hogwarts. Within the walls of the castle, within the curtains of his four-poster bed, they were safe._

* * *

Ginny's tongue throbbed as she dodged the tired patrolling prefects as she descended the stairs. A pair of Hufflepuffs were joking around, probably in an attempt to stay awake at this ungodly hour, Ginny thought.

Slipping past them was easy. She sent a simple spell in their direction and footfalls echoed around the corner. The spell was handy when she patrolled as a prefect, an easy way to disrupt couples without having to embarrass them.

The Great Hall had been turned into the base point for the night and Ginny huffed when she realised that there were professors and prefects streaming in and out of the room at a constant, steady pace. Unlike the other students, Ginny wasn't in her pyjamas and knew that just strolling in would cause a bit of commotion. She slipped into an alcove and cast a disillusionment charm over herself and waited for it to completely obscure her.

The Hufflepuff prefects walked straight past her hiding place and Ginny tailed them, following them right into the Great Hall. She gently made her way past, aware of her long limbs and the bodies surrounding her as she slipped between the small crowd. The door to the anteroom was closed and Ginny briefly wondered how she was going to get in without alerting anybody. She lay a hand on the wood and glanced at the people behind her. They were talking to each other or helping themselves to the snacks the house elves had eagerly prepare. Confident that no one was looking in her direction, Ginny entered the dark room, her fingers wrapping around her wand instantly.

"Draco?" she noticed the difference in temperature as she cast a strong _lumos_. The light pierced through the darkness and Ginny swore when she saw the Slytherin passed out on the floor. "Merlin, what happened?" Ginny propped her wand up against a trophy cabinet and gently tapped the blonde. His brows furrowed and the Weasley sighed in relief.

"Thank Merlin you're alive," Draco simply smirked in reply but the movement made him wince.

"Can you fix a broken nose?" Ginny nodded and reached over him for her wand. "What about broken fingers?"

"Who was it?"

"Theo's father."

Ginny swallowed and reset his nose and fingers. A lump rose in her throat as Draco growled. Ginny hesitated, remembering his condition suddenly, the brick wall of uncertainty flooring her momentarily.

"I won't hurt you Ginny," he murmured, a hand coming up to his face so he could flex his bruised fingers. The action made him grin slightly.

"Why are you laughing at that?"

He slowly sat up, shuffling back so that he could prop himself up against the cabinet behind him, dragging the cloak with him. "When I changed back into this body," he began, hysteria seeping into his voice, "I was as sore as I am now and doing this exact thing." To emphasise his point he made a slow fist. "I'm going to kill him."

The sincerity in his voice made Ginny shiver. His eyes were golden and the blood from his nose had dried over his lips and chin, the crimson was staining his teeth and gums. The overall effect made it seem as though animalistic power radiated from the exhausted boy.

"What happened?" Ginny pushed herself up from her knees, realising the boy was naked under the cloak he was using as a blanket. She crossed the room, providing space between them if nothing else. "I mean after this afternoon."

Turning her back, the young witch pretended to be occupied with reading the trophies but she caught sight of his pale reflection pulling on his school uniform sluggishly. He was lean and made of sinewy muscles, the opposite of Harry's tan skin, but Ginny still caught herself staring. There was a slight red ring on his jugular but without turning around she could only speculate at the cause.

"I could smell your curiosity when you walked in Red," he chuckled and she rolled her eyes at the return of the nickname. "Hermione was gone when I woke up. Alasdair Nott showed up, mocked me and then broke some bones before pissing off somewhere." Ginny knew that his dismissive tone was forced as his irises were flashing uncontrollably.

"He hurt Hermione," Ginny flinched as he ripped a shirt sleeve off in a moment of unfiltered rage. "Daphne and Theo are also hurt."

Draco took a deep breath and threw the ruined shirt aside. Ginny blushed as he pulled his cloak on instead, the material falling open to reveal his chest once more.

"It's the pheromones Red, don't worry about it," he was smirking at her, she could hear it in his voice.

"You think you're so irresistible Malfoy," she bit back, turning on her heel so fast that her ponytail whipped her in the face. "Let's just go."


	20. The meddling in something bigger

AN: The next few chapters will be drama just fyi! Please R&R and enjoy :)

* * *

Hermione slowly woke to indistinct chatter, straining her ears for a moment until she could follow the hushed conversation.

"How could somebody touch her without being shocked?"

"I'm not sure, there are residues of a spell all over her skin."

"Like a layer of magic?"

"Possibly. If you were to touch her where the spell is still intact, I am confident you won't be shocked."

Sirius' laugh echoed like a bark in the quiet hospital wing. "Honestly Poppy, I know I caused you a lot of work when I was a student," he trailed off but Hermione could hear the grin. She felt a finger brush against her cheek and a sharp inhale.

Hermione tried to open her eyes, wincing and groaning as she finally looked around. Sirius had a hand on her cheek, worry obvious in his eyes.

"Wha-" Hermione's throat felt like sandpaper and her head throbbed dully. "What happened?"

Poppy gently moved Sirius to the side so that she could administer more potions. "You were out cold my dear, have been for nearly an hour now."

"An hour?"

"Thank Merlin for Miss Greengrass' quick thinking or you could have died out there Hermione," the mediwitch informed her gently. "Do you remember what happened?"

Hermione repeated the question dumbly, annoyed at the cotton wool slowing her brain. "It was a dream."

Poppy's shoulders dropped. "Do you have dreams about being chased often Hermione?"

The brunette began to shake her head before she felt overwhelmingly dizzy. "I wasn't chased. Draco and I were in the corridor and then he changed. It wasn't him anymore. I thought it was like the other dreams. I thought all I had to do was hurt myself and then I would wake up."

Sirius was at her side once more, fingers reaching for her pale hand before Poppy slapped them away. "Sirius, watch out. Look for the spell."

Hermione's brows furrowed as she looked down at her hands. It was only then that she realised she was not alone in the cot. It had been magically widened to accommodate Daphne, who was pressed up against the Gryffindor. Theo was spooning his wife, his hand on Hermione's hip. The three of them were pressed together and as Hermione tried to detangle herself, she felt a sharp pain in her chest.

"What happened? What did they do?"

"I don't think I've heard you ask so many questions Mione," Sirius chuckled as he patted the toe of Daphne's right shoe. Hermione gasped when she felt the same thud in her own right foot. "What did she do?" she asked with more urgency.

"Hermione, Daphne had tethered her magical core to your own. Theodore is acting as an anchor, providing the both of you with support."

Hermione could feel the tears on her cheeks as she protested. "No, no she couldn't. She shouldn't have!"

"Hermione, you would have died if Daphne hadn't done what she did." Poppy patted the girl's shoulder with sympathy.

The Gryffindor stilled, craning her neck so that she could look at her friend's sleeping face. "Have you ever untangled magical cores Madame Pomfrey?" The mediwitch shook her head, avoiding the younger girls eye. "Have you ever heard of three magical cores being fully separated?" Hermione was bordering on hysterical as she took note of the gravity of the spell.

Sirius put his hands on either side of the mass of legs, leaning over them from the end of the cot, taking care to avoid touching any of them. "Hermione, listen to me. We will separate the three of you, even if I have to become the world's leading expert in the medical field to do it. Do you understand." Hermione slowly nodded.

"How could he touch me?" she redirected the conversation. "The man, if it wasn't a dream-"

"It was real Hermione," Sirius interrupted her.

"Fine, because it was real, how could he touch me. Only Harry and Arthur Weasley can."

"Actually Arthur still gets a very slight shock," Sirius said, gesturing flippantly as he settled himself on the chair besides the cot. Hermione hated the feeling of the rug being pulled out from under her feet.

"But he lets me hug him all the time," she wondered aloud, sniffing quietly.

Sirius nodded, "because you need a hug. He isn't going to deprive one of his children, adopted or not, a hug."

Hermione felt like she was six years old again and her parents were telling her not to make her books float around her bedroom because it was a curse, not a gift. She had the same feeling of unease as she internally struggled with the morals behind her selfish actions.

"How is Theo touching me then?" Theo's fingers were resting on the curve of her hip, his pale skin flush with hers.

"Hermione, can you see that slight sheen. The pearlescent bit around his fingers." Hermione nodded as the mediwitch pointed it out. "Some parts of your body, your cheek and your hip for example, are covered in what I believe to be a very strong protection spell that has encased you."

"Is that why Sirius could touch me?"

The mediwitch nodded and gestured for Sirius to touch her once more. The wizard scanned her exposed arms and then hesitantly brushed his fingers over the crook of her elbow.

"No shock," Hermione stated for no-one in particular. "Who cast this?"

"That's what everyone is doing now Hermione. Everyone is looking for them," Poppy informed her as she busied herself with casting spells on Theo on the other side of the cot.

"Them?"

"Alasdair Nott had an accomplice Mione, that's why we need to know what you can remember," Sirius said gently.

"They were under the effects of polyjuice potion I think. They started out as Draco and then it goes blurry. They bit me," she confessed, momentarily forgetting about the two bodies gripping hers. She attempted to touch her neck but Daphne's heavy arm pinned hers to her side.

"I have swabbed the wound and dressed it already. Some healers from St Mungo's should be arriving within the hour."

"We will find out what happened Hermione," Sirius promised her as Poppy handed him a purple vial. "Here, open up."

She looked from Sirius to the nodding mediwitch and allowed Sirius to slip the sleeping drought through her lips.

"Make sure Draco's okay," she mumbled before sleep overtook her.

* * *

"Where are we going Harry?" Ron asked through a yawn. The wizard had not spoken since they had split off from the rest of the group.

The Boy Who Lived was dragging the half-asleep Ron and a grumbling Neville through the back corridors of the school, dodging their questions up until that point.

"To the Room of Requirement," he told them, pulling them through a passageway, huffing as Ron resisted for a moment around the corner.

"For what?" Neville asked as they came out on the deserted corridor.

Ron stepped back and simply watched as Harry paced in front of the patch of stone. A small oak door that reached their knees, appeared and the trio exchanged wary glances.

Harry pulled his robe away from his shoes and bent down, unlatching the door and reaching inside the darkness. He extracted a small velvet pouch and pocketed the vessel before closing the door.

"Are you going to explain or are we supposed to guess whats going on?" Neville wondered as Harry stood up.

"One moment, not here," Harry looked around as if expecting somebody to jump from the shadows. "The professor said we were not to be seen."

"What you talking about? Unless that's what I think it is..." Ron trailed off, his jaw going slack with recognition.

Neville gestured with his hands, "unless what? Why can't we be seen?"

Harry grabbed the boys' elbows and steered them into an empty classroom. He shushed them as they began to protest.

Harry cast a silencing charm and then turned back to the annoyed pair. He reached into his robe and pulled the bag out. Pulling the draw strings open, Harry shook a golden pendent out onto his waiting palm.

"What is that?" Neville asked, stepping back to put distance between them.

"It's a time turner," Ron whispered in awe.

Neville began to shake his head, his fingers shaking in the universal sign for 'no'.

"We aren't going back in time!" he said with finality. "Bad things happen to those who mess with time Harry."

"We are only going back two hours or so. We take the cloak, go to the anteroom and wait for whoever is it to take Hermione to the charms corridor. We catch him and then stop Hermione from ever getting hurt. The professor told me to."


	21. The prevention (part 1)

"Professor?" echoed Neville as stood dumbfounded. Harry took advantage and looped the delicate gold chain around the two other boys.

He made a noncommittal sound,"uh huh. Three turns should be plenty."

"I don't like this," Ron said, looking the pair in the eye before Harry took a breath and twisted the tiny dial gently.

The trio watched, mesmerised as the circles span and the suspended hourglass twisted and turned on it's axis. Around them, the moon was dipping back behind the forest, dropping from the sky as the late afternoon sunshine slowly crept back into the night sky and replaced the stars. Neville stiffened as a ghost drifted down the corridor backwards, three times faster than their usual sedate pace, paying them no piece of mind.

Eventually, the dials stopped turning and the golden wash of the setting sun was illuminating the grounds and the corridor.

"What time do you think it is?" Ron wondered, taking the chain from around his neck and placing it in Harry's open palm.

"I dunno, we've got maybe ten minutes before the last class," Harry replied, stuffing the time turner in its velvet pouch and then shoving that in the pocket of his robes. "Come on."

Neville and Ron, both dressed in their bedclothes were resigned to trailing Harry as he scouted the route before them.

"We can't be seen, under no circumstances."

Neville shook his head, unhappy at the turn of the night's events. If they had truly gone back to the time Harry was hoping for, Neville would be able to find himself in his little office, repotting bulbs happily.

The boys had arrived outside the tapestry to the Tower without seeing another soul. Once inside, Harry ran to fetch his cloak as Ron collapsed on the arm chair, throwing himself into the cushion with force.

"Do you think we can stop him?"

Ron had not made any comments about Hermione, nor had he really talked to anybody that evening. Neville wondered if the redhead was bottling his feelings up or if he knew something nobody else did.

"Nev..." Ron began, craning his neck so he could see the anxious wizard still stood in the doorway. "We'll sort this. And if not this time and this way, we'll figure something else out."

"She could die Ron."

"She won't," he replied, a dark tone lacing his words. He took a calming breath and pushed himself out of the chair, turning to look at his friend. "This is going to work Neville."

Ron's confidence carried the trio from the Tower, all cramped, back to chest, under the cloak. They worked together silently to avoid the steady flow of students passing them after their last class.

Nearly forty minutes later, the sun was beginning to set and Harry had sneezed only feet behind a group of first years. Thankfully, they burst into excited chatter about how the castle was alive instead of assuming they were being followed.

The Great Hall was empty save from a lone house elf in a stained apron, pottering about with a ostrich feather-duster. He turned and stared them down as they slipped in, still invisible, through the massive doors, pulling the cloak from their heads so they could breathe better.

"Masters should not be here. Masters should not be meddling with time," the little grey elf warned solemnly before he resumed dusting down the armour dotted around the perimeter of the hall.

"Have you see anybody else come in?" Harry enquired politely, elbowing Ron as he began to panic about being caught with a time turner - an illegal possession.

"Norman does not mess with Time Mr Potter. Only the werewolf and his mate have been here recently," the comment was met with a wrinkled nose and a disgusted expression. Harry didn't know whether is was due to Draco's lycanthropy or the activities the couple had probably been engaged in all afternoon.

"Thank you Norman," Neville cut in, bowing his head slightly as they crossed the expanse of the room. Once they were outside the anteroom, he turned and looked expectantly at the others. "Well..."

Harry shrugged, "I hadn't thought this far ahead."

"We should get Pans," Ron suggested, highlighting her knowledge of protective charms.

Harry shook his head. "Everything we experienced earlier is because of what we are doing now. Pansy was asleep when Theo left so we obviously didn't go and get her."

"I hate trying to keep up with time," Ron sighed. "Fine, we slip in and tell them what happened. Or what will happen if they stay there."

"Enter the room of a mating werewolf couple. Are you insane. I still wouldn't just barge in it it were Draco and Hermione reading a cross word, let alone an hour or so after they had finished 'reacquainting' themselves," Neville chuckled.

"Good point," Harry agreed. "I'll just-" Harry banged his fist against the wood several times.

Ron swore dejectedly and Neville stared at Harry like he had sprouted a second head.

"You said let's not barge in," Harry imitated Neville poorly.

The trio waited for a moment, staring at the door expectantly. When it didn't open, Harry turned round to his friends with an easy grin. "See, nothing to-"

The trio yelled and screamed in shock as the door was ripped from it's hinges suddenly.

Neville and Ron were clutching at each other as Harry whipped back around to come face to face with a half transformed Draco. His fingers were longer and thinner than those of a man, and he had a very slight muzzle. Sharp teeth and spit were all Harry could see as Draco stood taller, stooping in the doorway, hairy chest heaving as he seethed.

"The fuck are you twats doing?" he growled, eyes bright and skin glowing. Spit flew as he bared his teeth at the trio of intruders.

Harry couldn't stop himself, "You spat on me." The offended look on the wizard's face made Draco laugh, instantly calming his overprotective nature.

"What have you done?"

"Huh?" Harry was still staring at the small glistening droplet on his robe so Ron had answered the question.

"Why are you here. Why are you wearing bedclothes and why are you disturbing us?" Draco elaborated each word as if they were children. He was calming down and his face returned back to its normal sharp features.

"Can we come in," Ron asked, looking over his shoulder at the house elf.

Draco sighed dramatically and told them to wait for a minute. He shut the door on them and returned a few seconds later, dressed fully and back to his human self.

Hermione was still sleeping in a pile of clothes in the center of the room. Harry shrugged out of his robe and lay it over her and then looked at the cloak in his hand before placing that on the mound of clothes. Neville and Ron attempted to follow suit but Draco snapped at them.

"It's bad enough she'll be smelling like Potter," he muttered glancing at her with a coy smile that made Ron pretend to heave.

"There's something we need to tell you, will she wake up soon?"

"No, she's physically and magically exhausted. She's about as much use as Wesley's owl right about now."

"Hey!"

"So, if there were a hypothetical attack, she would not be able to defend herself. Even if she is the best witch to have walked inside these walls?" Neville wondered slowly, avoiding Draco's keen eye.

The blonde raised and eyebrow and turned his full attention to the trio. Harry couldn't help but notice how he had subconsciously put his body between Hermione, Ron and Neville. Harry felt humbled that Draco trusted him enough not to feel the need to protect Hermione from him.

"What is going on Potter?" Draco demanded lowly.

Harry sighed. "If I were to tell you that we may have used a time turner, how would you react?"

"A time turner," Draco repeated. He looked carefully from each face before allowing his eyes to slide to his mate. "What happened that you needed a time turner?"

"There was an attack," Neville began before Ron cut him off.

"Hermione was attacked in the charms corridor, or she will be in about an hour. Daphne will find her and attach her magical core to Hermione's. Theo will somehow find out and wake everybody before going to the girls and attaching his core to Daphne's. Ginny will come down here and find you with several broken bones. Then we will come back in time to an hour ago and this whole thing will start again."

"How do you know Ginny came down here?" Harry asked, accusation and hurt evident in his voice.

"Gin and I, we still communicate through the coins from the DA. Here," Ron fished the galleon out of his pocket and threw it at Draco.

The blonde inspected it closely, running the pad of his thumb over the words carved into the dull surface.

 _D injured, follow Harry_

"By whom?" was all Draco said, tossing the galleon to Harry. "Who did this?"

"Alasdair Nott and an acomplice. McGonagall thinks the other guy knew the inner workings of the school, like a student or a professor," Neville answered him.

Draco let out a sharp laugh but it sounded painful and forced. "He's after Daphne. Hermione and I are just a happy coincidence he has stumbled upon."

"Why would he want Daphne? I thought he disowned Theo," Ron asked, sliding down the cabin at behind him so he could sit down.

"You've seen the Black family tree at Grimmauld haven't you Weasley." A nod. "Every pureblood estate has the same magical wall somewhere in their ancestral homes. They have certain charms that mean they are updated before anybody could know. Theo's tree would have extended when he married Daphne but Alasdair was on the run so he would never have known."

"So he's fighting them down now?"

"Their branch has grown. Daphne's carrying the heir of the Nott family. Two pure blooded parents. The child could ruin that line."

Harry adjusted his glasses, "now I'm confused. Isn't people like Alasdair Nott obsessed over how pure his bloodline is?"

"Yes, but inbreeding and tainted lines mean that this is probably, and should be, the last generation of only pure blooded children. Nott is looking to ensure that the child is never born, ensuring that his bloodline can continue with Theo and some foreign pureblood, not Daphne."

"Isn't it all the same though, Theo will probably be related to the foreign witch as much as he is to Daphne," theorised Neville. He had never fully grasped the idea of keeping magical lines pure. If anything, more squibs had been produced from the inbreeding in the last thirty years than every before.

Draco looked pained as he answered Neville. "Daphne and Theo are cousins Longbottom. That's as close as the pure bloods get. In some circles a decade ago, that would have been seen as incest. It's not even that harsh to some..."

"I think I going to vomit," Confessed Ron as he listened to Draco explain the gruesome views of the extreme purebloods.

"As long as it's not slugs then that's fine. I've ate enough slugs to last me a lifetime."

"Draco, we need to move the pair of you, before nine o'clock."

"Of course, let me just wake sleeping beauty and we will be off, ready to fight this intruder with ease," he snipped sarcastically. "She won't wake up even if I tried. Her body is healing Potter."

"Then we need to seal off the room before he-,"

"Too late for that," sneered a voice from the shadows.


	22. The prevention (part 2)

Draco wanted to kick Potter. Preferably a swift kick to the man's crotch and then one to Wesley's for good measure.

Only could the wonder twins come back in time and still mess up their original plan this badly. Potter had sealed the room when Alasdair Nott made his presence known.

Draco seethed internally as he realised if he hadn't been so preoccupied by the scents of Weasley and Longbottom, he probably would have picked up the eldest Nott.

"Hello Draco," he crawled out of the shadows, his lank brown hair obscuring his scarred face. "Did you know veritasium has no odor or taste?"

"It was you!" cried Ron, his wand already outstretched. His ears were crimson and it took Draco a second to understand what was going on.

"How long have you been in the castle Alasdair?" Draco's tone was boredom at best but he was struggling to contain the animalistic need to neutralise the threat to his mate.

"That's not important, I have somebody inside who had been doing the hard work for me."

"Who are you looking for?" Potter tried, slipped his wand from his sleeve gently. The action went unnoticed by Alasdair who continued to circle the boys.

Neville brought a hand up to his hair in a motion that was unusual for him. Draco wondered where it had come from, the sudden need to fix his hair, but Weasley broke his focus.

"Why did you need me? What use was I under veritasium?" he asked.

"You're more observant than you let on. He's been watching you and you confirmed his suspicions."

"Who's been watching us? What are you talking about?"

The sound of Alasdair's laugh made Harry shudder. It was like nail's down a chalkboard. "Theodore went to Slughorn. That mudblood's been giving him potions. I know all about his disgusting little marriage and his plan to keep that bitch safe."

"But I only spoke to the Harry and Blaise? And professors after we realised. I only spoke to them and the Quidditch team," Ron wondered allowed.

"Enough of this stupidity!" Alasdair roared.

Neville let out a quiet gasp when Alasdair finally emerged into the light, one bony hand pushing the dirty hair from his face. His left eye had been removed and Draco suspected it had been a form of punishment. There was shiny pink scar tissue surrounding the socket, but it was tinged yellow and the limp skin of his useless eyelid drooped and twitched when the man blinked.

"Lucius would be ashamed of you. No Malfoy would sully themselves with such vermin, I mean, a mudblood Draco," Alasdair mocked, his rotting teeth glinting in the candlelight.

Draco felt himself lunged but his brain had been switched off, his wolf controlling the situation. He snapped and clawed at the man who took a few moments to react. Draco's jaws clamped and gnashed, coming within a hair's breath of Alasdair's exposed neck. The wizard had disarmed Neville and was using the stolen wand to counter the werewolf on his chest.

A harsh stinging hex caught Draco by surprise from behind, a pale Ron with wide eyes muttering apologies. The momentary distraction allowed Alasdair to kick the animal off of him, cutting through the air with a triumphant smile.

Draco whined as a large gash, deep enough to scar, open on his jugular. The crimson liquid instantly soaked his pale fur and he nearly collapsed. He watched Potter and Weasley duel with Alasdair as Neville rushed to his side.

Draco collapsed a good distance from the action, coming to lay over an invisible mound.

Neville quickly pushed his hands to the wound, fingers slick with blood as he looked at Draco with surprise.

"How did you know we'd moved her?" Draco suspected he was laying on Hermione's torso but he simply lay his head on her invisible chest, Neville's fingers applying pressure that couldn't be felt.

Behind them, Ron threw a powerful hex which was followed by another from Harry. The onslaught of spells, both offensive and disarming, from the duo who worked seamlessly together quickly overpowered the older wizard. He had blood pouring from his nose and his only remaining eye was swelling shut. Ron dropped to a crouch as he dragged his wand down through the air, the spell making Alasdair's knees buckle painfully. Harry threw his hands up, held them momentarily before he moved them to the right with such a speed. Alasdair's body followed the same motion and he was thrown into the stone wall as if he was nothing but a ragdoll. A sickening crack made Draco wince.

He doubted that te duo had killed the man, but as he listened to the work quietly, the spells and Alasdair telling him of their clean delivery. Within five minutes, the pair were breathing hard but the sound of spells had stopped, and Draco could hear the sluggish thump of Alasdair's heart, a faint noise shadowed by the two Gryffindors.

"He's down Draco. He won't be leaving this room or waking up anytime soon," Neville assured the wolf. "Harry, I need your help."

Harry nodded and joined Neville, allowing Ron to continue to keep Alasdair down. "Merlin, when did that happen?"

"Before he got kic-" Neville stopped abruptly as the sounds of fists pounding the wooden door could be heard.

"Let me in you bastards!"

"Ginny?" Ron's confusion was matched as Harry disabled the spell around the room and opened the door cautiously, his wand aimed.

"Oh honestly, knock it off," Ginny said, whacking the hand in front of his face out of the way.

"Tell me something only you and I would know, prove yourself to me Ginny," Harry said the words that they had used during the war to double check identities.

"Are you being serious right now?" the redhead replied, simply crossing her arms across her chest with an annoyed look on her face.

"Deadly," Harry replied calmly, mimicking her pose.

"Fine, you leant me your Quidditch jersey during the first official week for summer and later that night we slept together for the first time. Your glasses fogged up and I was tied to the bed frame. We preferred Hermione's shower because there's a little ridge in the wall for soaps of whatever, but you used to sit me on that befo-" Harry shot out a hand and covered Ginny's mouth, his cheeks dark and his eyes slightly glassy.

"Are you fucking kidding me Ginny?" Ron's angry voice brought their attention back to the room. "Of all the things you could have said..."

"Whoops," she pushed Harry's hand off of her face with a smirk. "So am I myself or do I have to explain something else in all it's saucy detail Potter?" One eyebrow arched in defiance and he shook his head and pulled her into the room with a grin.

"You use Hermione's shower? I shower in there!" Neville cried, hands tightening in the fur of the growling wolf.

"Merlin what happened?" Ginny abandoned her boyfriend and dropped to her knees besides the wolf, shushing it as she cast some healing charms to the bleeding wound. "Oh seriously Draco, you and I both know that that shelf is a miracle addition."

"Ginny!"

"The little I know about everybodies sex lives, the better I can sleep," Ron said warily, kicking the wizard at his feet for good measure.

"Well you weren't afraid to over share this morning," Harry laughed. "I know more about Pansy than I thought I ever would."

"Can we please concentrate!" Ginny snapped, having finished tending to Draco with Neville's help. "What are you all doing? Where's Hermione?"

The trio looked at one another, to the unconscious Alasdair and then to Draco who was leaning over an invisible mound.

"She's under the cloak. Draco's laying on her."

"She needs to be in the charms corridor in ten minutes," Ginny ordered them, pushing at the wolf. "Change back Draco, no one speaks canine and I left my ' how to read wolf expressions' manual in the Tower."

The transformation was slow as he reeled from the blood loss. Ginny had replenished his levels but it still left him dizzy and disorientated.

Draco rolled his bare shoulders and reached out, his fingers grasping the silky material of the invisibility cloak. Hermione slowly came into focus and he felt himself relax at her peaceful expression. She was still fast asleep and it took him a moment to remember she was naked under the pile of clothes.

Ron and Neville leaned over her, trying to see her. Draco kissed her swollen lips, dragging his own over her jaw and to the bite mark at the juncture of her neck. The second mark had been accidental and he had regretted making it so visible as soon as he had licked at the wound but in that moment it was a blessing.

Hermione's honey eyes flew open as she writhed and gasped. Draco grinned into her skin and kissed around her shoulder, licking a trail up her neck at her earlobe. He could hear Ron protesting about the ravishing but as he gently bit down on her earlobe, he couldn't care less.

"Draco!" Ginny's voice snapped both werewolf and mate out of their stupor. Draco had gotten carried away trying to wake his girl up and it took him a second to realise he was naked from his transformation and his body was laying on top of Hermione's, although hers was still under the cloak so she was only visible from the collarbones up.

"Merlin, you're pale everywhere," smirked Harry as Neville looked around for the blonde's clothes.

Ginny slapped her boyfriend's pectoral, "you've got some competition Potter, just remember that." Ginny's words instantly shut up the Gryffindors giggling and Ron nearly choked as Harry stuttered and faulted.

"Brilliant Red," was all Draco said as he continued to stare down at his mate.

"What are you doing?" Hermione whispered to him. "Can I hear Ginny?"

"What happens to your clothes when you fully transform Draco?"

"Is that Neville?" Hermione questioned, panic flooding her voice. "What time is it? Where are we? Please tell me we didn't have sex in the middle of the Great Hall!"

Draco grinned wolfishly and dropped a solid kiss to her lips. "It's after dinner. We've been locked up in the anteroom for the most of the day. Do you not remember?"

"I remember the sex but nothing except you and I."

He hummed as he kissed her again. "Am I that good you couldn't concentrate on anything else?"

"Seriously Draco, what happens to your clothes?" Ginny echoed Neville's question as they set about conjuring items of clothing.

Draco stared at the redhead with a deadpan expression. "I have no clue, is it important. We've sorted out the threat and so assumed you were going to take him to McGonagall and I could resume my afternoon here."

"Ginny?"

"Hi Mione, felling sore?" Ginny smiled, cheekily toeing the girl in what she assumed was he hip although it was hard when she couldn't see more than her head.

"What are you doing here? And what threat?"

"Oh you know, just a simple case of murdering father, teen pregnancy and accidental core bonding. Bit of time travel thrown in for good measure," Ginny sassed back, to focused on summoning some clothes. She produced a small purple jumper and a pair of dress robes before she conjured a pair of men's pyjamas.

"Hey there mine," said Harry as she handed them to Draco. "I wondered where you'd sent them."

"Why would she have them?" Ron asked before he shook his head. "Actually I don't want to know."

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Hermione asked finally, pushing Draco off her and wrapping herself in the cloak.

"Fine, but on the way to the charms corridor," Ginny told the floating head.


	23. The Hands of Time

AN: as you can tell I do not have a beta and it sometimes shows. Please be patient as I go through and edit the story whilst writing it and living a life. As always, I hope you enjoy, please review :)

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Ginny, Harry, Ron, Neville, Draco and Hermione had made it to the third floor before another question had been asked.

Harry, with a floating and unconscious Alasdair Nott trailing after him, lead the group through the castle. Ginny had her fingers in his and was glancing around every few minutes to ensure they were still together. Ron and Neville trudged along, both lost in their own thoughts. Hermione, clothed in conjured pyjamas, was being carried on her mate's back.

She giggled into the crook of his neck once more and he could feel her smile on his skin.

"I swear Granger," Draco began, digging his fingers into her thighs with enough pressure to make her squirm. She wriggled in his hold but the soft giggles slowed and then stopped to his relief. "What's so funny about this situation anyway?"

"You're taller than Harry so you've got about three inches of ankle on show," she laughed quietly, content to keep her chin on his shoulder as they continued to climb the floors of the castle.

"If you hadn't noticed Granger, it's freezing so the ankle situation hadn't gone unnoticed," Draco replied monotonously but Hermione could feel his mirth through the bond.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, eyes set straight ahead with a stony expression.

"For what?" Hermione replied, genuine confusion on her face.

Draco stopped walking and looked from the group in front to his feet before he tapped her leg and slowly let her down to the floor. Hermione rose an eyebrow but allowed him to turn to face her. She crossed her arms and waited, feeling through the muted bond for some sort of indication of his actions.

"Granger, I've been a dick to you for the past few days. We fell out and I shouted at you," he held up a hand to stop her, sensing her need to interrupt, and Hermione simply closed her mouth with a slight frown. As she stepped towards him, he placed his hands on her shoulders and kept her at a distance. "Granger, we could barely look at each other in the eye before Krum touched you. Do you not remember what I said?"

"Draco... Look at me," she ordered, reaching up and gripping his chin in her grasp, forcing him to look at her. "We have always fought. I can't remember a time we have gone a substantial amount of time without one of us wanting to kill the other. That's us Draco. That's been us since we were eleven."

"That's bullshit," he scoffed but a faint smile was tugging at her lips.

"I am in love with you. I allowed you to mark me. I am your mate Draco Malfoy," she said, her voice crystal clear and strong. "I know you've got issues, we all have, that's what a war does to people. So what if you turn into a wolf every once in awhile. Who cares if we have to lock ourselves away to have sex once a month. Whatever is going on right this moment between you and I, it's always been inevitable that we end up together Draco. You're stuck with me till the end."

"If they hadn't come back it could have been," was all he said and Hermione sobered slightly.

"What really happened?" she asked as they rejoined the rest of the group who had stopped a little further away to give them some sense of privacy. The duo looked at the rest of them in turn before Hermione finally looked at Nott.

He was battered and bruised and she had already told of her discomfort she felt when she looked at what Harry and Ron had inflicted. His hands and feet were magically bound and he was floating a few inches of the ground, his dirty hair long enough to trail along the stone. He hadn't woken up yet but a stunning spell was on the tip of Ron's tongue in case he did.

Neville watched a myriad of emotions play out across the Gryffindor's face. Worry and then anger were quick to follow each other.

"Mione, we need to get you to the charms corridor," he reminder her and in turn the rest of the group.

"That's the part I still don't understand," Harry confessed quietly to his girlfriend, the leader of the small pack.

Ginny sighed and faced Hermione properly. "Mione, do you feel any different? Like there's somebody else inside you?"

"What like the bond?"

"Yeah, but not with Malfoy," Ginny asked uneasily.

Hermione's brows furrowed before she nodded slowly, slipping her hand in Draco's who was by her side in an instant.

"Who is that? Is that Daphne I can feel?" Draco asked Ginny who nodded in reply. "What happened Red?"

"And Theo," she clarified, ignoring his second question for a moment. "So you can both feel it?"

The pair nodded once and Ginny ran a hand through her hair. "Before I got into bed I thought something was wrong. Theo must have got a patronus from Daphne or something because before I knew it he was waking the entire tower up. I thought something was up with you two so I went to the room in the Great Hall but it was only Draco."

"Where was I?" Hermione asked quietly.

"In the Charms corridor being attacked by someone. By that time though, you'd both been attacked already. Daphne found you, Hermione, and she attached her magical core to yours. Theo found the pair of you and anchored himself to Daphne. That's why you can feel her."

"That's a complex spell when you've studied it!" Hermione gasped, a sense of deja vu coming over her and she put this down to the disruption in the timeline. "How can you remember this Ginny? The boys have reordered time."

Ginny darkened slightly. "I saw myself."

"Merlin's beard," groaned Neville, a hand running down the length of his face. "Bad things happen to those who see themselves."

Harry rounded on Ginny, capturing her face in his palms. He stared into her defiant eyes until their silent conversation seemed to end and he just sighed, dropping his hands and looking at Hermione was downcast eyes.

"Circe, what is it Potter? I demand to know what's going on! What are you thinking Red!" Draco shouted, unable to contain his fear and annoyance a second longer.

"There's no need to shout at her you prick," Ron retaliated but Hermione stepped between the two wizards, keenly aware of Draco's fingers digging into her uncomfortably.

"Ginny..." the witch said softly, looking at her friend with such an unguarded and trusting look that Ginny bristled and blinked back hot tears.

"I saw myself, and I followed myself, that's why I know what happened and what need to happen in the next few minutes. Hermione, Daphne and Theo need to attach their cores to your in this timeline. The only way you can undo that phantom connection is by breaking the physical spell. Daphne needs to cast that spell in the next ten minutes, and Theo needs to be summoned by her patronus."

"Why do we have to go traipsing around the castle? Can't we just wake up Daphne and Theo and ask them to perform it?" Ron wondered as the group began to walk again.

"They aren't speaking," Neville informed him with a slight grimace.

Hermione looked at Draco through her lashes. The blonde's face was blank, completely unreadable, and she was having a hard time processing the two new connection she could feel inside her, so she was coming up with blanks at his true feelings.

"Mione, can I do something quickly?" Ginny asked with uncharacteristic nerves. Hermione nodded, confused at the silent spell Ginny sent her way. The redhead just shook her head as Hermione went to question the younger girl's actions.

"This is the only way to get them on the same page," Harry nodded to himself as they rounded the final corner, bringing the girl's attentions back to the conversation at hand.

"It's a bit extreme though," Neville countered.

"It's stupid, that's what it is," Draco snapped, tugging on Hermione's hand so that she collided with his chest. He wrapped his arms around her so tightly she squeaked. "I am not letting Daphne cast a dangerous spell, not on Granger and not in her condition."

"How would we even get her to cast the spell in the first pl-" Harry stopped mid-sentence and pressed himself against the stone, motioning for the rest to follow his lead.

The corridors had darkened naturally as they climbed the castle, but the charms corridor seemed unseasonably dark. Harry pulled his invisibility cloak out from where it had been stuffed in the waistband of his trousers and threw it over the group, pressing themselves together without fuss.

Hermione was thankful for the rest. She leant against Draco's chest, his arms holding up the majority of her weight and sighed into his pectorals.

Harry cast a silencing spell under their cloak and his eyes slid to Hermione. "Mione, you need to go out there. I thought I heard whoever attacked you."

Draco growled and glared at Harry. "She is exhausted, there is no way she is going out there to fight some maniac."

"We're going to be here for it all Malfoy. She won't get harmed at all," Ginny promised him.

"How is she going to be in a state bad enough for Daphne to cast the spell?" Ron questioned as footsteps echoed down the hall.

The group stiffened collectively before Hermione gritted her teeth and ducked from under the material, evading Draco's clutching fingers and she heard him begin to swear but the material fell back into place and the spell silenced his protests.

"Draco?" Hermione called out, knowing the ins and out of the previous timelines events. Hermione crossed the hallway so that she was leant against the opposite wall, still in complete sight of her friends under the cloak. She felt stupid and like an idiot at the risk she had just taken, but then the figure stepped out from the shadows and her breath caught in her throat.


	24. The Twists of Fate

Stood before her was the last person she could have imagined. He threw a spell at her silently, the force pushing her back into the stone. Viktor Krum reached out and grabbed her throat, his fingers barely managing to squeeze when he drew back in pain with a curse.

"Viktor?" Hermione couldn't help the hurt leaking into her voice. Before her was a man she thought she knew. Viktor had been her first kiss and despite the war, they had always kept in touch, telling each other of their lives by letters over the years. Now, the once famous Quidditch star was a shell of the man she thought she had known. His once dashing features were dull and he was thinner than she ever remembered him being. He looked cruel and cold but Hermione couldn't figure out why.

"That is the first thing you've said to me since I arrived," he almost spat at her, his wand now gripped in his meaty fist. "You have been stolen away by a creature."

Hermione scowled and a sudden burst of courage overtook her and she knocked his wand out of her personal space. "Don't you dare talk about Dr-"

"Draco," Krum sneered, interrupting her. "What defensive spell have you cast upon yourself?"

Hermione thought back to the spell Ginny had cast upon her and now she realised it must have countered Victor's first spell. He couldn't touch her and he knew it. Hermione stood taller as she felt the smooth wood of her wand in between her fingertips. She was stronger in a duel that the wizard and had her friends backing her up.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Where is the mongrel? I was supposed to have you by now. I can give you a life," Krum had her caged to the wall but she remained calm, knowing she had the upper hand. "Nott was going to give me the hair and we would have already been gone. I love you Hermi-ninny."

Hermione shook her head with defiance but before she could answer, the wizard arched his back, dropping to his knees with a cry. Behind him, a fully transformed werewolf was growling, blood dripping from his claws and saliva bubbling around his snarling mouth.

The Gryffindor shrunk back as Draco roared into Krum's ear, snapping his jaws around the shell of the wizards ear and biting the edge clean off.

Harry ducked out from the cloak and Draco whipped round, no longer functioning on his human emotions. The one thought he had was to keep his mate away from danger and at that point, Harry was becoming the target.

"Draco!" Hermione screamed, trying to get him to face her again as Harry slowly dropped his wand, kneeling so he appeared less of a threat. "DRACO!"

The wolf turned his head in inch and Hermione shivered under his stare. The wolf sniffed at the air and dropped from his hind legs to his front paws, pushing his cold nose into Hermione's stomach. She stood, frozen as his hot breath ghosted over her torso, his head nuzzling into her.

It was at that moment, as everybody began to calm down, that Daphne came running around the corner, crying hysterically. She stumbled to a stop and shrieked as she took in the situation.

A white wolf had Hermione pinned to the wall of the castle and the Boy Who Lived and a world renowned Quidditch player were laying on the floor, the latter in a small pool of blood. Daphne's scream made the wolf whip his head around and Hermione didn't think before she acted.

She threw her arms around the wolf's neck, her fingers gripping his smooth fur so hard her knuckles were white. Draco's strength meant that she made little difference, but she remained clinging to him, almost being carried on the wolf's back.

"Draco!" She cried again as the wolf shook his head, trying to dislodge her. "Draco, please!"

Daphne's eyes were as wide as saucers as the wolf stalked towards her.

"Don't move! Get on your knees!" Ron's floating head warned Daphne but it was too late. The beast had come to a stop in front of the honey blonde, sniffing at her as Hermione pleaded into his fur, her entire body on the back of the animal.

"Theo," whispered Daphne as her hands went around her stomach and she dropped to her knees so quickly the breath left her. Neville was the only one holding the cloak now, it settling around his shoulders, as both of the Weasley children were aiding to the bleeding Krum.

The seeker's back was in ribbons but he was breathing as Ginny placed a body-blind curse on him. Ron went to Harry's side slowly, gripping his friend's shoulder. "Stay low and don't look in Mione's direction," was all Harry said as Neville dropped to a crouch so that he could maneuver Nott Senior so that he was next to Krum, his accomplice now knocked out by Ginny's fist.

Draco was simply smelling Daphne, his front paw on either side of her body as if protecting her from something. She was cocooned under him, between his legs as Hermione rubbed her face into the animal's shoulder blades above her. The group realised that the animal within Draco was no longer going to attack but they remained quiet, catching their breaths until the wolf howled in pain.

Hermione fell from her boyfriend's back and landed half on top of Daphne, both groaning in pain as Draco's cry became ear splitting. A deep gash was on his side and Hermione could only just turn her head, having been hit by the spell as well. Theo's hair was in his frightened eyes as he breathed hard, his wand shaking in front of him.

"No!" cried Harry as Draco lunged for the Slytherin. The four Gryffindors shot simultaneous stunning spells to the wolf who collapsed at Theo's feet. There were tears on the brunette boy's face and he stumbled back before noticing Daphne on her knees. Hermione was pale and blood was spurting from her side at an alarming rate.

Theo froze, seized instantly by the terror of his actions. He had shot a powerful slicing spell at the wolf which he had thought was attacking his wife. Daphne was crying as she cast a quiet spell before she wrapped her arms around Hermione. Theo's heart skipped a few beats as he groggily registered what Daphne had done. He ripped his shirt off and pressed his clammy skin to his wife's hoping it would be enough to ensure that nothing would happen.

Ginny was exhausted as her knees buckled and she watched McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey sweep around the corner. They looked from the bleeding casualties to the trio in the center of the action, both with horrified expressions on their faces.

"It happened again. Hermione and Draco are injured and the three of them are magically connected once more," Harry said dejectedly, as if he had known all along that the trio were destined to end up entwined, bleeding out on the floor of the castle.


	25. The Change

**AN:** Okay kids, six more chapters to wrap this thing up! I still can't believe home many people are still committed to this story and still reviewing without fail, please know you are the reason I am still going :)

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 **7 days later**

Pansy woke suddenly from a restless sleep. She sat bolt upright in the uncomfortable cot she had refused to leave and looked around the hospital wing as the doors opened slightly and Harry slipped in, despite the late hour.

"How are they?" he asked her, crossing the stone floor on his tiptoes as he snuck past other injured students.

"Oh, you just missed Daphne and Draco's aerial gymnastic routine, she's really nailed that landing," Pansy retorted sarcastically, glancing at the girl who was lying prone in the arms of her husband.

"I thought Madame Pomfrey would have been able to separate Daph and Theo by now," Harry sighed, ignoring Pansy's scowl as he scooted her across so he could lie on the cot beside her. Pansy's bed was next to Draco's, across from Daphne and Theo's and near Hermione's.

"She still doesn't know whether Daphne's heartbeat is irregular or whether it is the baby's."

Three days prior, Hermione had finally been separated from the other students. She was now stable and supporting her own core, but she had not woken up yet. Draco had been healed and was sleeping in the hospital wing, still groggy from the medicine and the spells. He had howled and cried when Hermione had been separated, as if the girl had been in pain during the process. The Slytherin woke infrequently throughout the day, settling only when he saw Hermione's sleeping form in the cot across from him.

"You would have thought a war would have been enough for us all, but no," sassed Harry as he sighed. "For once, I would like a school year where it was just school."

Pansy smiled and changed the subject. "How's the new Quidditch coach?"

"Professor Mcnamara is probably the best thing that's come out of this shit," he replied. It had driven Ron insane when Professor McGonagall allowed Pansy to all but drop her apprenticeship to remain in the hospital wing, and he was not allowed to skip one practise. The keeper was annoyed, sore and drowning in homework which he had thrown himself into in favor of occupying his mind.

When he and Ginny visited the hospital wing, the sibling felt as if they didn't know the witch anymore. If they had thought her cold and cruel before the war, she was now detached and Ginny felt as though she would have to spend the next six months rebuilding the friendship they had created. Neville avoided talking to the girl as she was meaner than he had ever known. Harry knew it was a front, a wall of protection to preserve herself during the stress, but he was beginning to doubt his theory.

The only person Pansy seemed to open up to was Sirius when he visited her on a Friday night with her missed classwork.

He had brought Crookshanks with him, and the measly orange cat instantly jumped into Pansy's lap despite her protest. The constant company was something she had cursed at in the beginning but now, three days later, she was grateful for Sirius' gesture.

He had also brought her that days Prophet. The news of the attack had spread quickly worldwide and the headlines were subjective to the country of origin. The Bulgarian headlines had painted Alasdair Nott as the true criminal, ensnaring the star in a strong imperious. Rita Skeeter, for once, had written something half true. She had tracked Krum's decline since his dismissal from the national team and made him carry the consequences of his actions.

Pansy was relieved to find that both had been subjected to a quick trial and both had unanimously been handed life sentences in Azkaban.

"Is that possible?" she asked, her eyes fixed on a figure across the room which she could have sworn just moved it's left foot.

"Huh?" Harry was staring too, almost missing Pansy's question as they watched intently.

"Is it possible for us to have a normal school year?"

Harry nodded but he knew Pansy was looking at Hermione and so she missed it.

"Uh, yeah I... guess," he said, hesitating and mumbling as both of them climbed out of the bed, crossing to Hermione's side without a word.

"Did she just-"

"Yeah."

"Do it again," that was an order and it seemed as though the Gryffindor girl had heard Pansy as she flexed her toes.

Harry's eyes were as wide as dinner plates as Hermione systematically moved her body, starting with her toes. She rolled her ankles and then bent her knees slightly before rolling her hips. The kinetic energy that seemed to have overtaken her traveled up her hands and her neck and her company were moving and wriggling like she was.

Finally, she opened her eyes and was met with the slight of Pansy and Harry leaning over her to hug above her torso.

Hermione mouth felt like cotton wool and it took her a few attempts to make the noise which separated the two.

"Hermione!" they shrieked in twin excitement and Hermione cracked a smile, pleased that someone was there when she had woken up.

She had been dreaming the same cycle over however long she had been out. Her friends had abandoned her as she changed and shifted into a grotesque creature, not quite canine but definitely not human. She would scream and cry as shackles appeared on her wrists and all she could see was Draco, looking at her with disgust until he sent a green spell flying her way and then the cycle would start over.

"How long have I been out?" she whispered hoarsely.

"It's been a week 'Mione," answered Harry, slotting his hand in hers.

"What happened?"

Pansy's face softened and she pressed a kiss to the girl's forehead. "Daphne, the idiot, connected your magical cores as you bled out. Theo thought Draco was attacking Daph so he shot a slicing spell but it hit you too. Do you remember being on Draco's back?"

Hermione nodded gently.

"Theo and Daphne are still connected by their cores as the baby is causing some problems for the healers. You're no longer attached," Harry continued. "But, 'Mione, something else happened."

She struggled to sit up but the pair were quick to keep her down.

"Is it Draco? What happened to everyone else? It's not Neville is it?" She asked rapidly, attempting to look over Pansy's shoulder to the bed she knew Draco would be in.

"Hermione, everyone's fine. It's," Harry took a deep breath, "'Mione, when Draco saw you bleeding, just before Daphne connected your cores, he bit you and I mean he bit you."

"What? That doesn't mean anything, we're already bonded," she said, significantly calmer as she thought Harry was just being cautious.

"You're a werewolf Hermione. He bit you enough to infect you," Pansy said with finality.

* * *

Ginny was lounging on the sofa in her pyjamas, content to watch Blaise wear a hole into the carpet with his slippers as he paced in front of the fire. She was munching on a bunch of grapes and threw a few at him when he stood motionless and pointed to his mouth after every circuit.

"How can you watch him, it's making me dizzy," complained Ron from the table. He was scribbling his potion notes with his back to the fire and the seating area, but he could feel Blaise's tension in the air.

"I'm hoping he does it enough to tire himself out, and besides, he's circulating the heat," Ginny said around the grape in her mouth.

"Do you know how shit this is," Blaise barked as he pointed to his mouth. Ginny complied and tossed a juicy grape which he caught in his mouth. "Pansy is allowed to skip her charms apprenticeship because Flitwick is researching the core stuff, but I still have to slave behind a cauldron in Potions even though I am the only bloody one, and don't get me started on McGonagall's tutoring. It's just me and Ernie and nobody ever talks about what happened."

"Not anymore Mr Zabini," Professor McGonagall said, her intimidating figure in the doorway and her arms crossed. "It is nice to know how you feel about the tutorship however."

"Professor!" the trio gasped at her sudden appearance at such a late hour and Blaise blushed, the red tinging his dark complexion and he stopped pacing.

"Is everything all right Professor?" Ginny asked, pushing herself up from the sofa and crossing to the older witch.

Minerva smiled and the boys looked at each other, unused to the expression on her wrinkled face.

"If you accompany me to the hospital wing, I would be delighted to show you."

* * *

"Madame Pomfrey!" cried Harry loudly, surely waking the Mediwitch. He and Pansy stood as far away from the cots as possible, pressed up against the door as Hermione howled and Draco circled her.

After Pansy had finished explaining the chain of events, Hermione's shock had bled through the bond and Draco had snapped awake, knocking the Slytherin girl aside so he could hold Hermione as she cried.

She kissed him and the tears began to pour. Draco sniffed and blinked them away, dropping his head into the crook of her neck and she whined in pain.

Draco swallowed back bile as Hermione's body caught up to her. Harry grabbed Pansy's hand and dragged her back as the Gryffindor began to shriek and writhe in pain as Draco started to sob, choking on the loud noises in the quiet Hospital Wing.

Before their eyes, the girl's nose elongated into a muzzle, a soft covering of brunette fur appeared and her fingers lengthened and cracked, breaking and reforming into claws and paws. Hermione pushed Draco away as she lay on her back, breathless as her shoulder hunched and reformed, her spine following the same pattern. Hermione arched her back and dug her heels in the thin mattress of the cot, her legs staring to shift painfully. Pansy had either hand over her ears as the dull snap of Hermione's thighs echoed around the room, followed by the whine as her muscles tore and refused into an unnatural shape. Every inch of her anatomy changed excruciatingly slowly. Her teeth elongated and her gums receded. Her eyes shifted and her forehead reshaped itself. Small details like her breasts, nails and hair changed too and every cell seemed to tingle and burn as it either elongated, shortened, broke or fused. Hermione could do nothing but lie there as her body manifested into the monster she had been dreaming about since the war.

 _Werewolf. Monster. Pain. Draco_ were her only conscious thoughts as the pain became everything she had ever known.

Harry turned his head and when the crying stopped, two wolves, one white, the other a honey brown, were licking and rubbing each others faces on the small cot but he could still hear the cries and the sounds of her body breaking itself to reform.

"Did she just transform?" was all he could say and Pansy laughed as the obvious commentary but she was crying into his shoulder, unable to tun and look at her friends.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she said quietly before the nervous laughter bubbled over and mixed with her heaving sobs and hiccups.

Harry swore he would never again complain about the shrill tone of Pansy's laugh as he watched Theo jolt upright at the sound. The Slytherin girl was still laughing hysterically and Harry joined in, struggling to hold back the tears that were threatening to overflow. He glanced from the two wolves to Theo, sat ramrod straight as if he was possessed. His eyes were unfocused but it took a few seconds for him to slide into reality. The Slytherin boy's eyes widened comically at the sight of the wolves across from him.

"MADAME POMFREY!" Harry shouted again and Daphne propped herself on her elbow with an annoyed scowl in his direction as she woke up.

Harry whooped and hollered, scooping a crying Pansy up in his arms and twirling her around. "POMFREY! They're awake!"

The light in the mediwitch's office turned on and spilled out into the dark wing as she opened the door. She came bustling over to Harry and Pansy, her face one of shock as she looked at her patients. Her thin lips slowly broke out into a grin and she sent a patronus before going to Theo and Daphne.

"Harry my dear, try and get them to separate," she nodded towards Hermione and Draco and he swallowed nervously.

"She's joking right," Pansy wondered aloud as Harry rolled up his sleeves and put his palms out, advancing on Hermione's cot.

Within her mind, Hermione was reeling but she had never felt more connected to Draco. Their consciousness were dancing together and she was in awe the magic.

 _How do I change back?_ she thought and he nudged her with his nose.

His voice was crystal clear in her mind when he said _will it, picture you body._

Hermione would have scoffed it wolves could and watched through her canine eyes as he returned to his human body, taking note of the process and how his recognisable anatomy returned. She watched his silver eyes return to their human shape, the shiny sectumsempra scar return to his naked chest, the prominent jaw and cheeks appear and his unmistakable fingers and hands come to rest on her back.

"Potter, stay at the foot of the bed," Draco ordered and they both stood shoulder to shoulder at her feet, willing her to change back. Harry had wet cheeks and an encouraging smile whereas Draco was blank faced and clutching the railing pf the cot. "Come on Granger," he whispered.

Hermione thought about herself and what she knew. Her curly hair was at the forefront. It's caramel colour and the frizz that came with the ringlets in the summer. Her scalp tingled and from Draco's rewarding smile, she guessed she was beginning to change so she continued.

She had delicate fingers and hands, but they were scarred and stained with short, blunt nails. Tanned forearms and toned upper arms connected to shoulders and a long neck which flowed into a sweetheart face with a nose and two eyes and full lips. There were freckles in the summer and a slight shade of red on her cheeks throughout the year. Hermione thought about her collarbones and breasts and how her body dipped slightly at the waist but flared again at her hips. There were stretch marks, shiny and silver on her skin which carried on into long legs, lean from the war. There was scar tissue on her left thigh, a deep cut from her childhood that had healed overtime. Hermione thought about her knees and her shins, the bruises that seemed to be forever on her lower legs. Her feet and toes were next and she flexed them as they shrunk and cracked, the bones and ligaments snapping to reform once more. There was a burn as her shoulder blades returned and Hermione knew there would be scars and moles, beauty spots and bruises returning as she was naturally clumsy and bruised easily.

By the time she had finished, she opened her eyes slowly to see both of the boys, her boys, crying as she lifted her hand to her face to inspect it, much like Draco had the first time she had slipped into his mind.

Unshed tears blurred her vision as she looked at Draco who was breathing shallowly. "I forgive you."


End file.
